Members of FVREB along with several other real estate Boards across Canada, helped CREA conduct another successful PAC Days event in Ottawa, from October 15 to 17.
Representatives of our Stakeholder and Government Relations Committee (SGRC) were in Ottawa along with Board Officers and our Chair and CEO, engaging MPs from our various Fraser Valley ridings, on critical issues relating to housing supply and affordability, infrastructure funding, and the need for immigration policies to be updated to address the skills shortage our sector faces.
Our messages were met with support, with MPs recognizing the critical juncture at which we find ourselves and acknowledging that we need to find tangible and innovative solutions to address these key issues.
SGRC representatives stressed that government needs to leverage REALTORS® who have the pulse on what’s taking place on the ground, and who have valuable information they can share to help ensure policy decisions reflect the challenges and the opportunities facing homebuyers and sellers in the Fraser Valley.
In tandem with the PAC Days, CREA held a conference that was packed with rich information related to various issues affecting housing, from data about the current public sentiment on our various political parties and the performance of their leaders, to data on the attitude of the Canadian public on housing affordability.
The conference was punctuated with other key deliveries, including a rousing speech and meet and greet with the Leader of the Official Opposition, The Honourable Pierre Poilievre. In a speech that received a standing ovation, Mr. Poilievre acknowledged the urgency of the housing issue and the need for smart, strategic, and tangible action. During the meet and greet, SGRC members got to convey the realities of the housing crisis to Mr. Poilievre, who heard the concerns loud and clear.
CREA also ensured that the current Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, The Honourable Sean Fraser, had a chance to convey and relay actions being undertaken by government, including highlighting the Housing Accelerator Fund which aims to provide incentive funding to local governments encouraging initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply. He also talked about the government’s commitment to supporting the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.
SGRC members will now build on the important touchpoints made through PAC Days by continuing to engage in dialogue and discussions with MPs, and with both provincial and municipal governments as well.