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Policies set by governments at the municipal, provincial and federal levels can have a profound impact on housing opportunities and on the real estate profession. As a result, Victoria's REALTORS® are actively involved in government relations activities, particularly through the Victoria Real Estate Board's Government Liaison Committee.
A key role of the Committee is to act as a liaison between the Victoria Real Estate Board, the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). The Committee encourages these organizations to make timely, relevant and effective representations to government. The Committee also liaises with any and all levels of government and government authorities that have a mandate that affects the real estate profession.
The Committee's aim is to establish and build rapport and to maintain communication between the Board, members of political parties and government officials at the three levels in order to provide and receive input on political issues, new legislation and regulations pertinent to the real estate profession.
Some examples of the government relations activities undertaken by Victoria's REALTORS® include the following:
- At the municipal level, encouraging local governments to consider increased legalization of secondary suites while remaining sensitive to community wishes;
- At the provincial level, making submissions to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to reduce the impact of the Property Transfer Tax to enable more people to enter the housing market. This included a recommendation to increase the first-time buyer exemption in the Capital Region to $375,000;
- At the federal level, encouraging the government to offer incentives for the construction of affordable rental accommodation and increase the amount of RRSP funds that people can use to help buy a home;
- Other community activities guided by our commitment to the Quality of Life principles (see the Quality of Life section on this website).
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