Whereas the Province of BC through the Homeowner Protection Act establishes the requirements for property owners to be authorized as owner builders by BC Housing to build and occupy a new home for their personal use; And whereas due to recent amendments to the Act, BC Housing requires that owner builders write and pass an Owner Builder Authorization Exam prior to authorization under the legislation and has not produced a study guide or hosted educational sessions to allow property owners to prepare for the required examination which has resulted in an extremely high failure rate for applicants: Therefore be it resolved that in support of the ability for property owners to reasonably receive authorization as owner builders, UBCM urge the Province to prepare study materials and host education sessions designed to assist applicants through the required examination process.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs Housing In March 2017, BC Housing developed a free online Owner Builder Study Guide to help applicants prepare for the Owner Builder Authorization Exam. The guide covers construction basics, statutory obligations and requirements, and frequently asked questions, as well as sample exam questions and resources to help applicants prepare for the exam. The BC Housing website hosts an online Education Registry for owner builders to access a variety of optional courses ranging in topics from the British Columbia Building Code to construction management and technology. In addition, an Owner Builder Authorization Exam Preparation Course is available through an independent education provider. The exam is offered at 50 test centres across British Columbia on a regular basis: weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on the location and frequency of applications in those areas. The exam is also available upon request for the smaller number of applicants in more remote areas. Since program inception the average province-wide exam passing rate is 76 percent. Applicants denied an Owner Builder Authorization can appeal the decision through BC Housing or the Safety Standards Appeal Board.