Cabinet Appointments and NDP-Green Party Deal

On Monday, Premier Eby appointed Cabinet members. Mandate letters outlining ministry priorities will follow in January, giving ministers time over the holidays to familiarize themselves with their portfolios. This delay is intended to allow the NDP more time to negotiate a power-sharing deal with the Greens, which will give them more stability given their narrow one-seat majority. This deal could have significant implications for the housing and construction industry, particularly in areas such as cost-of-living, housing affordability, healthcare, and economic growth. In the interim, the Premier will issue “appointment letters” highlighting these key priorities.

Changes in Ministry Portfolios

The new cabinet retains its previous size of 23 ministers and 4 ministers of state, but includes several notable changes. Key shifts include:

Housing and Municipal Affairs: Combined under one ministry to oversee housing policy, municipal infrastructure needs, and other local government policy/legislation. This signals a more coordinated approach which could lead to greater efficiency within the ministry.
Transportation and Infrastructure: Divided into the Ministry of Transportation and Transit and Ministry of Infrastructure.
Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation: Divided into the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions and the Ministry of Mines and Critical Minerals.

Key Ministries and Appointed Officials

Given the broad and complex nature of housing issues, CHBA BC works across many ministries to advocate on behalf of members. Below are key ministries we work closely with, along with newly appointed ministers:

Housing and Municipal Affairs: Ravi Kahlon (returning)
Infrastructure: Bowinn Ma (new to file)
Transportation and Transit: Mike Farnworth (new to file)
Finance: Brenda Bailey (new to file)
Attorney General: Niki Sharma (returning as Attorney General and newly appointed Deputy Premier)
Labour: Jennifer Whiteside (new to file)
Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills: Anne Kang (new to file)
Energy and Climate Solutions: Adrian Dix (new to file)
Water, Land and Resources Stewardship: Randene Neill (new to cabinet)
Environment and Parks: Tamara Davidson (new to cabinet)
State for Local Governments and Rural Communities: Brittny Anderson (new to cabinet

With the exception of the Housing Minister and Attorney General, many of these newly appointed ministers are either new to their portfolios or new to cabinet itself, underscoring the importance of early engagement. CHBA BC will proactively reach out to these Cabinet members and is committed to building and strengthening relationships with both new and returning ministers to foster constructive dialogue on housing issues.

What’s Next?

Premier Eby has indicated plans for a brief fall legislative session to elect a new Speaker of the House, which is a critical decision given the close margins between the governing party (47 seats) and the official opposition (44 seats).

CHBA BC will actively engage with newly appointed ministers and their teams to advance our key policy priorities focusing on: streamlining approvals; reducing the cost to build homes; growing skilled trades; and enabling low carbon solutions for new homes. As government priorities take shape in the coming months, we will keep members informed on emerging issues and opportunities in the housing sector. Stay tuned for further updates!

Newly Elected MLAs Officially Sworn into Office

Following a very close election and a narrow majority win for the NDP with 47 seats, new Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have officially been sworn into office last week. Of the 93 MLAs elected, 56 (or 60%) are new to the legislature, marking a significant turnover. In light of this, CHBA BC is collaborating with local associations to reach out to new MLAs to introduce ourselves, positioning the association as a key resource on housing matters for the government.

Fun Facts from the 2024 Provincial General Election:

Resulted in the highest voter turnout in BC’s history with over 2 million votes
56 of the 93 (or 60%) MLAs are new to the legislature
49 of the 93 (or 53%) are female MLAs - the most in BC’s history
25 of the 93 (or 27%) MLAs are former councillors, mayors, or regional district board members
Only 5 NDP MLAs were elected in ridings from rural areas
2 out of 27 cabinet members from the last government retired or were not re-elected

Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund Launch

The federal government launched the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to help unlock more homes by funding critical infrastructure across the country. The CHIF will deliver $1 billion over eight years to municipalities and Indigenous communities that apply and $5 billion over ten years to provinces and territories, of which $590.7 million is earmarked for BC. There are several eligibility criteria for each stream of funding:

Municipalities and Indigenous Communities:

Adopt zoning to allow four units as-of-right per lot; and
Implement a three-year freeze on increasing development cost charges above the rates in effect as of April 2, 2024.

Provinces:

Require municipalities and regional governments to the new measures outlined above;
Collaborate on federal housing design catalogue;
Implement 2025 and future National Model Codes within 18 months of publication;
Endorse the federal Renters’ and Home Buyers’ Bill of Rights; and
Secure an agreement with the federal government by January 1, 2025

BC Building Code Adaptability/Seismic In-Stream Protections Survey

The Building and Safety Standards Branch released technical bulletins extending in-stream protections for both adaptability and seismic requirements. The protections are for projects with drawings prepared before March 8, 2024.

CHBA BC and HAVAN are seeking member feedback where projects with prepared drawings are not receiving municipal approval of the added protections provided by this bulletin. We have a two-question survey and your input will be kept confidential.

2024 Code Interpretations

Did you know that the BC Building Code Interpretation Committee issues province wide interpretations of the BC Building Code in response to written requests from code users? Below are some recent interpretations:

View the entire searchable list of 2024 code interpretations here.