Government Issues Mandate Letters

On January 16, after a long delay following the election as the NDP worked to secure additional flexibility in their narrow majority through an agreement with the Greens, the government finally released its mandate letters. These letters outline the Premier’s instructions to his ministers and act as a roadmap for the government. Each mandate letter begins with a reiteration of the 4 “kitchen table” issues that featured in ministers’ high-level appointment letters, reflecting the Premier and cabinet’s central focus:

Growing the economy by creating good jobs across B.C.;
Reduce costs for families;
Strengthen health care; and
Make neighbourhoods and communities safer.

A notable theme across all mandate letters is a commitment to review current programs and initiatives within each ministry to “keep costs low for British Columbians” while addressing provincial budget constraints and other financial pressures like the threat of U.S. tariffs. This signals a potential tightening of government spending in the months ahead, with focus on core services.

To read the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs’s mandate letter, click here.

Consideration of DCC Deferral to Occupancy Permit in Delta

A recent motion was passed in the City of Delta to direct staff to conduct a financial analysis on delaying collection of all development cost charges to occupancy permit issuance and request the Housing Minister consider legislative amendments to enable a deferral. This motion also included a request to Metro Vancouver Board of Directors, Translink Mayors Council and Board of Directors to also consider changing the time for collection of development cost charges.

CHBA BC will be partnering with HAVAN to write a joint submission to the Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister supporting this move by Delta and advocating for enabling legislation to allow local governments the flexibility to implement DCC deferrals, which will reduce financial burdens during the development process.

Home Flipping Tax - Effective January 1, 2025

As of January 1, 2025, BC's new home flipping tax is in effect. This tax applies to profit earned from selling a property (including presale contracts) if it is owned for less than 730 days.

Tax rate: For properties sold within one year of purchase, a 20% tax will apply to the profit. The rate decreases over the next 365 days, decreasing the longer the property is owned until after two years, the tax is no longer applicable.
Retroactivity: This tax is retroactive, so even if a property was purchased on or before January 1, 2025, the tax will still apply if the property is sold within the designated timeframes.
Presale contracts (and assignments): The day someone purchases a presale contract (generally the date the contract deposit is paid to the developer) is considered the date of purchase for this tax. Similarly, the day someone is assigned a presale contract is considered the date of purchase.
Exemptions: There are several exemptions including exemptions for builders, developers, and building or renovating related activity - this specific exemption requires the owner to file a BC home flipping tax return. Please note that the exemption for renovation only applies to substantial renovation.

Housing Needs Reports - Deadline of January 1, 2025

The provincially mandated deadline for municipalities to submit their interim Housing Needs Reports (HNRs) was January 1, 2025. By December 31, 2025, municipalities will now be required to update their Official Community Plans (OCPs) and zoning bylaws to ensure that the identified 5- and 20- year housing needs are met. It is anticipated that this will be a significant focus for municipalities this year and this process will be crucial in aligning local planning with provincial housing goals and addressing the lack of housing supply in BC..

Short-Term Rental Registry Launches

On January 20, the provincial government launched a new short-term rental registry. Hosts will be required to complete an online application and display their provincial registration number on all online listings effective May 1, 2025. Hosts who do not comply will have their listings taken down as of June 1, 2025.

March 10, 2025: Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting

As of March 10, 2025, new buildings regulated by the Step Code must meet at least the first emissions level (EL-1) of the Zero Carbon Step Code (ZCSC). This is a measure-only requirement, so applicable buildings will either go through the energy modelling process or declare the type of equipment used for domestic heating and hot water.

Most builders already comply because this information is collected in the existing Step Code Compliance Checklist. For those pursuing the prescriptive energy efficiency approach, their local building department may already collect the type of heating and hot water equipment installed.

Read the Ministerial Order.