Advocacy Update Archive

Advocacy Update – June 11, 2026

A recent provincial press conference highlighted housing progress in BC, including record levels
of new purpose-built rental registrations and rental housing construction.

News

New BC Conservative Party Leader
On Saturday, May 30, 2026, the Conservative Party of BC elected Kerry-Lynne Findlay as their new leader. Ms. Findlay’s campaign lacked comprehensive housing policy goals, but she has verbally committed to several commendable changes, including repealing Budget 2026’s proposed expansion of the Provincial Sales Tax, improving the permitting process, providing clarity for land-use rules, cutting red tape, and setting firm approval timelines.

Parliamentary Summer Break
The BC Legislature is no longer sitting, having adjourned for the summer break on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The legislature is scheduled to reconvene on Monday, October 5, 2026. At the federal level, Parliament is scheduled to sit until Friday, June 19, 2026, and then will not reconvene until Monday, September 21, 2026.

Provincial Housing Affordability Update
On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Christine Boyle hosted a press conference highlighting recent housing progress in BC, including:

• the asking price for rent in BC has fallen by 12.5 per cent from August 2023 to April 2026,
• the vacancy rate for Metro Vancouver has increased from 0.9 per cent in October 2023 to 3.7 per cent today, and
• new purpose-built rental registrations and rental housing construction are at record levels.

FINTRAC Special Bulletin
On Thursday, May 28, 2026, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) published a Special Bulletin on human trafficking risks associated with major international sporting and entertainment events to help businesses subject to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act detect transactions related to human trafficking activities and report suspicious transactions to the Centre.

Consultations

Metro Vancouver Governance Review
As part of its ongoing governance review, Metro Vancouver Regional District is inviting public input on the structure and size of its boards until Sunday, June 14, 2026.

Ease of Doing Business Consultation
Ease of Doing Business is a provincial initiative with the aim to help make doing business easier through engagement with the BC business community. Help the provincial government identify ways to make it easier to do business in BC by using the submission form to share your ideas, challenges, or suggestions. The opportunity to provide feedback through the submission portal remains open for the time being (a deadline is not available).

Please feel free to share your opinion on these consultations with BCREA via our Government Relations email address below. We are always interested in the thoughts of Advocacy Update readers.

Readings

BC Real Estate Association Renews Call for Provincial Drug Home Remediation Policy
Read Trevor Hargreaves’ overview of the BC Real Estate Association’s (BCREA) renewed call for provincial drug home remediation standards in the face of clandestine drug production. Listen to Hargreaves’ coverage of the issue on CTV News here.

Development Charges: Not all Cities are Created Equally
Read the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s latest analysis showing that reducing or eliminating development charges may increase the number of financially viable projects in certain markets.

Supreme Court Ruling May Impact Cowichan Case: Attorney General and Property Owner
Read Graeme Wood’s Business in Vancouver summary of how the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to dismiss an appeal application from a New Brunswick First Nation seeking Aboriginal title over vast swaths of private property could have implications for the Cowichan Tribes case.

More and Better Housing Canada
Read More and Better Housing Canada’s reports on what’s needed to reach 5.8 million new affordable, low-carbon, and resilient homes in this country by 2030.

Small Housing Resources
Explore Small Housing’s suite of resources, designed to inform and support gentle density ambitions.

Events

FINTRAC Industry Day Webinar
Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
June 29, 2026, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm PT
Online event

BCREA’s Government Relations Quarterly can be subscribed to here. Attention REALTORS^®: no need to subscribe, as you are automatically included on the distribution list! Check out the archive here.

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Brenna Friesen
Policy Analyst
Direct: 778.373.6481
Email: [email protected]