BC NDP and BC Greens reach agreement
Provides more stability to government
The provincial election in October was a photo finish, with the BC NDP winning a bare majority of 47 seats, the BC Conservatives 44 seats, and the BC Greens two. But one MLA needs to serve as Speaker, which basically means that they oversee the legislature like a neutral referee. In the case of a tie, the convention is that they vote to maintain the status quo.
Last Friday, David Eby’s office announced that the BC NDP caucus had reached an agreement in principle with the BC Green caucus. Essentially, the two BC Green MLAs will support the government, and the BC NDP will commit to policies in certain areas.
Announcement. Text of the agreement.
The items related to housing seem reasonable to me.
Government will actively support non-profits, cooperatives, charitable societies and local governments to protect, purchase and build 30,000 units of non-market housing over the mandate of Government, with a 2025 target of 7,500 units.
Renter protection:
a. Government will expand access to SAFER and RAP, boosting support and increasing eligibility and removing clawbacks, and increase funding to SAFER and RAP by $75 million in 2025, with provision for a further $75 million in 2026.
b. Government commits to jointly reviewing existing funds within the Rental Protection Fund in 2025 and will plan on re-capitalizing the Rental Protection Fund over the course of the mandate to ensure annual needs are covered.
SAFER is Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters, which provides a monthly rent supplement for low-income seniors. RAP is the Rental Assistance Program, which provides a monthly rent supplement for low-income working families with at least one child. The Rental Protection Fund acquires older, cheaper market rental housing to be owned and operated by non-profits, basically converting market housing to non-market housing.
Homelessness:
Government will work with the BC Greens to actively support local communities to advance appropriate housing models, like the Village Model, that provide wraparound services to reflect local conditions, moving funds more quickly and reducing barriers to meet local demand and provide solutions for those most vulnerable. $30 million of Heart and Hearth, a dedicated fund, will be deployed for this initiative. In the event that federal funding for the Heart and Hearth fund ends, provincial funding will be used to continue supporting Heart and Hearth.
The Village Model is a form of supportive housing - there’s an example in Duncan. The Heart and Hearth program responds to homeless encampments (Homeless Encampment Action Response Team, or HEART) and provides rapid housing (Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing, or HEARTH).
Finally, a tax change:
Government will end the property transfer tax loophole for sale of properties by trusts.
Sometimes called the “bare trust loophole”: instead of selling a property, the property is owned by a trust, and what the buyer purchases is the trust. So then the property still belongs to the trust, and the property transfer tax doesn’t apply. Glad to see that this is being closed.
More
B.C. NDP and B.C. Greens announce co-operation agreement. Karin Larsen, CBC News.
BC NDP and BC Greens sign cooperation deal to stabilize government. Simon Little, Global News.
Both parties talk 'balance' as Greens agree to deal that stabilizes B.C. NDP. Alec Lazenby, Vancouver Sun.
BC Greens agree to support NDP, bolstering the government’s razor-thin majority. Mike Hager, Globe and Mail.
Andrew Weaver, former BC Green leader (he negotiated the 2017 confidence and supply agreement with John Horgan), thinks that the BC Greens aren’t getting much out of the agreement. A long post on Twitter.
In the wake of the election, it’s also worth mentioning that Ravi Kahlon’s portfolio now includes municipal affairs as well as housing. This includes responsibility for the Metro Vancouver Regional District, which handles major water and sewer infrastructure. A brief press release from the Union of BC Municipalities. CBC article by Courtney Dickson and Katie DeRosa on the post-election cabinet appointments.