2026 Provincial Election
British Columbians go to the polls on October 24, and housing attainability remains one of the most pressing issues facing the province.
Most young Canadians want to own a home: 88% of Canadians under 45 hope to a home one day. Yet only 29% of non-homeowners are confident they ever will.
CMHC estimates BC will need more than 600,000 homes by 2035 to restore affordability. At current construction rates, the province is on track to fall short by more than 200,000.
Closing that gap means building more homes at a time when builders are facing high financing costs, rising construction costs, growing regulatory complexity, and long approval timelines. That can’t happen without supportive policy.
CHBA BC Recommendations
CHBA BC is asking all parties in the 2026 provincial election to commit to three key recommendations:
1. Reduce the cost to build homes: Expand in-stream protections, reform the municipal infrastructure funding model, and increase municipal accountability on development and amenity cost charges.
2. Take a stable, harmonized approach to step codes: Pause mandatory increases for the Energy Step Code at Step 3, limit the Zero Carbon Step Code to EL-2 by 2030, and harmonize municipal implementation.
3. Streamline approvals: Pause new requirements until the sector recovers, increase reliance on qualified professionals, and improve the one-window permitting process.
See our full recommendations in the 2026 Policy Booklet.
Calling for Immediate Relief for Projects Under Pressure
CHBA BC is also asking all parties to commit to three measures that would help restore market confidence and keep projects moving now:
Deliver a GST rebate, or equivalent, for all buyers of new homes.
Buyers of new homes in Ontario can recover federal and provincial sales tax on homes priced up to $1.5 million. BC buyers can’t. A federal-provincial agreement on a GST rebate, or an equivalent measure such as Property Transfer Tax exemptions, for all new homes under $1.5 million would help restore buyer confidence, support pre-sales, and keep projects moving.
Pause adoption of the 2025 National Model Construction Codes.
BC’s early adoption of the Part 9 lateral load provisions from these codes is estimated to add $10,500 to $25,000 or more to the cost of a single-family home, including in lower-risk wind and seismic regions. Reversing that early adoption in lower-risk regions, and pausing the rest of the 2025 codes, would allow time for a targeted review that moves forward with cost-neutral updates and reassesses the most costly measures.
Permanently reverse the PST expansion on professional services.
PST on engineering, geoscience, and architectural services is estimated to add about $700 per single-family project, about $34,000 per multi-family project, and upwards of $200,000 for larger developments. It also adds costs for the many small builders who rely on these services.
More homes mean more British Columbians with a place to call home, and more good jobs in communities across the province. CHBA BC looks forward to working with all parties to get there.
What We’re Doing
CHBA BC is a non-partisan organization representing more than 2,300 members through eight local Home Builders’ Associations. During this campaign, we’re working with every party to keep housing supply and attainability at the centre of the conversation.
We’ve shared our recommendations and 2026 Policy Booklet with the leaders of all major parties and offered to meet with each party’s platform team. We’re also attending campaign events to hear directly from party leaders and keep housing on the agenda.
Read our letter to party leaders.
After October 24, we’ll work with the new government, and with MLAs from all parties, to move these recommendations forward. Questions about our election advocacy can go to our Policy and Government Relations team at advocacy@chbabc.org.
Provincial Party Platform Tracker
CHBA BC is tracking each major party’s housing and affordability commitments. As campaign commitments are made and party platforms released, this tracker will be updated.
Last updated: October 19, 2026
Have Your Say
Ask your local candidates where they stand on the housing supply and attainability issues outlined on this webpage and our 2026 Policy Booklet. Share our recommendations, and make sure to vote on October 24.
Find your polling station and voting options at Elections BC.
Request Membership
As a Canadian Home Builders’ Association member, you are not alone. When you join your local affiliate Home Builders’ Association, you automatically become a member of CHBA’s 8,500-member network in British Columbia and across Canada.