Housing Supply Act and Building Strata Statutes Amendment Act passed in House

THE NDP said on Thursday that Premier David Eby’s action to speed up housing development and increase housing supply had passed in the B.C. Legislature and become law.

The Housing Supply Act is designed to kickstart new housing construction by giving the provincial government the ability to set municipal housing targets. It gives the Minister of Housing the authority to ensure compliance to make sure housing gets built, should municipalities with the highest need struggle to deliver enough housing.

The Building Strata Statutes Amendment Act prevents stratas from banning rentals in their buildings and ends unfair age restrictions. In areas where government has data through the Speculation and Vacancy Tax, there are approximately 2,900 empty condos that cannot be rented out because strata rules prevent them from renting out their condo – and we expect there are more in other areas of the province.

The NDP said Kevin Falcon’s B.C. Liberals voted against both bills at earlier stages before flip flopping on the Housing Supply Act and voting against the Strata Statutes Amendment Act.

Falcon’s Finance Critic Peter Milobar criticized the Strata bill, warning it means “that your neighbour, whether you like it or not, could be a renter.”

B.C. Liberal MLA Dan Ashton called to “postpone” Housing Supply Act and Renee Merrifield also criticized the bill, saying we don’t need “a heavier hammer” on housing affordability.

The NDP said in a press statement that while the B.C. Liberals try to delay and stand in the way of action, other British Columbians are lining up to support it.

 

THE BC Liberals hit back, saying that while the fall legislative session has ended, the David Eby era of stifling debate and eroding democracy to suit his own needs has begun.

“After cancelling four days of session last week to throw the new Premier a party, Eby and his NDP government have now shut down debate on significant pieces of legislation so they can ram them through with virtually no scrutiny,” said Opposition House Leader Todd Stone. “The people who elect us deserve to know that laws that impact them have been thoroughly debated and put through vigorous questioning — but Premier Eby and the NDP aren’t allowing that to happen.”

The BC Liberals said that among the bills rushed through the House were Eby’s much-hyped housing bills, 43 and 44. The BC Liberals voted against second reading of these bills, in protest of the NDP limiting debate to less than three hours per bill.

“While some NDP members try to mischaracterize our intentions, let’s be clear — we voted against David Eby and the NDP not allowing democracy to unfold as it should,” said Stone. “Bill 44 in particular, which impacts strata rental and age restrictions, will affect one million British Columbians who live in stratas — but the NDP won’t let us debate the potential unintended consequences which could include strata insurance rates continuing to skyrocket. It’s shameful.”

The BC Liberals said that the other bills rammed through by the government without adequate debate were Bill 36, the Health Professions and Occupations Act, and Bill 37, the Energy Statutes Amendment Act, 2022.