B.C. political parties quiet on strata legislation reform
Sandy Wagner doesn’t feel it was a snub. At least not yet.
On April 10, she wrote the leaders of the four major B.C. parties competing in the May 14 election. As president of the Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association, she wants to know one thing on behalf of her members: how will they fix strata legislation?
As of early afternoon April 23, only B.C. Liberal premier Christy Clark had bothered to respond. “If reelected,” the premier pledged, “Today’s B.C. Liberals will continue working with the public and strata organizations to improve legislation governing strata properties in B.C.”
On that day, Wagner had yet to hear from Adrian Dix of the B.C. NDP, the Green party’s Jane Sterk, and B.C. Conservative Leader John Cummins. She admitted that she’s “very surprised” by this.
“We’ve had ongoing dialogues with the NDP and with the Conservatives,” Wagner told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview. “To be perfectly honest, we’ve not approached the Greens before this. And we have tried to approach the Liberals and we’ve not been able to meet with Ms. Clark. But we’ve met with some of the other people.”
According to Wagner, there must be too many emails in the inboxes of Clark’s rivals this election season. “They haven’t found mine in their stack yet,” Wagner said, laughing.
One of the reforms that VISOA seeks is greater clarity in legislation pertaining to strata properties. Quite often, it’s the interpretation of laws that leads to conflicts. “It’s written for lawyers, and it’s very confusing to the average strata owner,” Wagner noted.
As of Wednesday morning (April 24), VISOA’s website had a reply from Sterk, which the group noted was “copied” from the Greens’ policy book. In it, Sterk promised a “comprehensive and public review” of the Strata Property Act.
Unlike Wagner, the executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association of B.C. isn’t bothering with politicians at all. “I hate to say it, but it’s not about asking people what they promise to do, because it never happens anyhow,” CHOA’s Tony Gioventu told the Straight in a phone interview. “You know, live in the real world.…There is no point in doing that.”
According to Gioventu, his association does not engage in political lobbying during election campaigns: “It’s just far better to have an ongoing, strong working relationship with the government who’s elected.”
Comments
4 Comments
SPY vs SPY
Apr 24, 2013 at 4:34pm
Alberta has Home (condo and detached house) Mortgage Law that should be brought to BC.
When you default on your mortgage, the bank gets your home and THAT IS IT.
Just imagine with the GIGANTIC CONDO ROT SCANDAL IN BC, how all those banks that lent Millions & Billions to Developers who built SHIT.
Yah just walk away from you Mold Infested Rotting Abode, the Bank takes over the title and that is the end of the story.
Good Citizens of BC have had to go into Formal Bankruptcy to get out of Mortgages when they could not afford CONDO ROT REPAIR FEES.
Then those Good Old-Boy Bankers would have been left holding the bag for Billions of Dollars Worth of CRAP.
CHOA Skeptic
Apr 24, 2013 at 10:39pm
Gioventu does not seem to live in the real world either. It is politicians who get important things on the legislature's agenda. CHOA's silence on the need for strata reform merely gives politicians permission to do nothing.
Election promised vs reality
Apr 27, 2013 at 6:12pm
I think Gioventu is bang on. We all know that most politicians are busy spewing forth all kinds of things that are designed to make us feel good about them. In reality, how often do these election promises turn into action? And when they do, when does that action look like what was promised? The answers: rarely and rarely!
Indeed, CHOA is a large organization that could put a lot of effort into lobbying during an election. That could pay dividends if a party cozies up to CHOA for votes, and is ultimately elected to power. It could also backfire significantly if a different party is elected.
CHOA's website states "CHOA is a non-profit association that promotes the understanding of strata property living and the interests of strata property owners by providing advisory services, education, advocacy, publications and resources and support for its members. We actively assist our members, and the strata industry, to ensure strata living is a positive experience."
Nowhere in there does it say that CHOA job is to lobby election candidates. We have seen CHOA and other Strata organizations work tirelessly to provided input and guidance to government when legislation is rewritten - ie, the dispute resolution language, and to some extent the depreciation report/contingency study that's now in effect.
I'm happy to be a CHOA member, I feel that my membership dues provide me with more than fair value in return.
Reality Check
Apr 29, 2013 at 8:04am
If you go to the CHOA website you will find reference to "advocacy" but no evidence that CHOA has done any. Is CHOA so Liberal-friendly that it will not do "advocacy" for strata owners?