• Subject matter details in previous versions

  Specific Topics of Lobbying Communications	Intended Outcomes	Associated Subject Matters
  Permanent British Columbia Housing Roundtable The current process of development for new housing policy is neither efficient nor effective. There is significant need for a more collaborative, multi-stakeholder process to identify the obstacles to housing attainability and the factors limiting the housing supply response across the housing spectrum. Achieving more attainable housing for British Columbians requires a robust and coordinated effort between different levels of government, in close collaboration with market and non-market housing stakeholders. On-the-ground real estate expertise is underutilized in the policy process. The BC Government has made commendable progress on housing attainability solutions through the “Homes for People” Action Plan, the Housing Supply Act, the creation of a separate Ministry of Housing, new investments in non-market housing, and the establishment of the BC Builds program. While these are important advancements, their implementation will determine their effectiveness. The lack of a permanent, holistic, coordinated approach to housing attainability has reduced the intended benefits of housing policy and worse, produced unintended negative consequences for consumers that could have been anticipated and avoided with fulsome sector engagement. For example, Bill 44’s removal of only some strata age restrictions has resulted in even fewer opportunities for growing families and first-time homebuyers, as some strata corporations have shifted their age limits to 55-plus. With a housing roundtable, sector input could have anticipated this effect and proposed mitigating suggestions. Recommendation: Create a permanent housing roundtable within the newly created Ministry of Housing. The provincial government should convene a permanent housing roundtable, bringing together representatives of federal, provincial, municipal, and Indigenous government authorities, along with builders, boards of trade, real estate professionals, non-market housing organizations, and civil society organizations. Much of the sectoral policy expertise does not exist solely at the governmental level. Many of these stakeholders are rarely adequately consulted, nor is there a permanently established process for the ongoing sharing of ideas, perspectives and approaches between these groups. Market, non-market, and government representatives are all equally dedicated to creating sound housing policy for British Columbians to increase housing supply across the housing continuum. The time has come to establish a better process to harness these collective interests and expertise. The roundtable’s purpose should be to engage British Columbian housing stakeholders and build upon previous examples of well-researched work and effective sectoral consultation conducted by the provincial government. As such, the roundtable’s focus should be on how best to implement the “Development Approvals Process Review” and the “Canada-British Columbia Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability” final report recommendations. While the roundtable should consider increasing access to housing for all British Columbians, it should give special attention to the most at-need groups, such as persons with disabilities, underhoused individuals, and Indigenous communities. REALTORS® are on the frontlines of the challenges in market housing. They are the primary source of data on housing markets, enabling them to provide on-the-ground knowledge to identify where and to what degree market challenges exist in their community.	Development of any legislative proposal by the government of British Columbia, a Provincial entity or a member of the Legislative Assembly Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy, directive or guideline of the government of British Columbia or a Provincial entity	Consumer Issues, Housing

Gifts or benefits provided by the organization