Whereas the Homeowner Protection Act requires that testing requirements be met as part of the application process for building contractors to obtain continuing education units annually to maintain their license, and communities are seeing a reduction in capacity to provide for housing development in rural and remote communities; And whereas many rural BC communities provide construction oversight through building inspection services to ensure that Owner Builders and Building Contractors are meeting the minimum BC Building Code Part 9 requirements: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province of British Columbia to review the residential Homeowner Protection Act regulation to ensure that there are no barriers to stimulating housing development in rural communities.
Ministry of Housing The Ministry of Housing works closely with BC Housing to strengthen consumer protection for new home buyers, improve the quality of residential construction, and support ongoing research and education to stimulate construction innovation and best practices. In 2019, the Homeowner Protection Act was amended to simplify and streamline the annual Continuing Professional Development program. The Continuing Professional Development program provides formal and informal training to increase professionalism and provide homebuyers with confidence that their home was built by a qualified residential builder achieving the highest industry standards. As part of the Homes for People action plan, the Ministry of Housing is working to streamline processes and spur innovation in the construction sector. This includes embracing new technologies like digital design and permit processes and new construction materials and systems that will help build more homes, faster, in all parts of the Province. Continuing professional development ensures that builders across BC are ready to benefit from innovation in the construction sector.