BC government creates new Ministry of Housing to tackle affordability crisis

Nov 22 2022, 10:10 pm

Although housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues in BC, the provincial government has never had a dedicated ministry for it.

That is changing over the coming weeks, with new Premier David Eby announcing today that there will be a new standalone Ministry of Housing.

“For too many British Columbians, owning or even renting a good home feels out of reach,” said the premier. “The housing crisis deserves the attention of a full ministry and the resources that come with it. As premier, I am committed to making meaningful progress to make sure everyone in BC can afford a good home.”

A dedicated minister or ministry just for the portfolio of housing previously did not exist.

Prior to becoming premier, Eby was both the attorney general and the minister responsible for housing, which comes short of being a full-on “minister of housing.”

Ever since Eby left the role to partake in the BC NDP’s leadership race earlier this year, the role of attorney general and minister responsible for housing has been filled by Murray Rankin, the MLA of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

Prior to the 2020 provincial election, over the first term of John Horgan’s government, Selina Robinson was the minister of municipal affairs and housing.

During his remarks today at the Housing Central Conference, Eby emphasized this individual will have a single role — solely responsible for housing.

The BC NDP MLA that will fill the role of minister of housing will be named on December 7, when the new premier announces his cabinet makeup.

Over the decades, provincial crown corporation BC Housing has filled some of the responsibilities that a Ministry of Housing could be expected to handle. It is unclear what kind of changes will be made to BC Housing, but it would most certainly report directly to both the new minister and the premier, given Eby’s key focus on tackling housing affordability under his new leadership. There has also been a major change in leadership at BC Housing; Shayne Ramsay recently left his position as the CEO of BC Housing after 22 years.

The formation of the Ministry of Housing also suggests Eby is creating a multi-faceted strategy for making inroads in addressing housing affordability, which necessitates its own dedicated umbrella.

Today’s announcement of the creation of the Ministry of Housing follows Eby’s major housing announcements yesterday of ending the ability of stratas to ban homeowners from renting out their units, and creating a new Housing Supply Act that establishes new specific housing supply targets for municipal governments to achieve.

During the BC NDP leadership campaign, Eby also promised a new public housing development initiative by the provincial government and a new flipping tax on homes based on ownership duration.

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