Core Business Areas
The core businesses for the Office of Housing and Construction Standards provide leadership in addressing housing and homelessness
issues. The Office also provides the administration of the regulatory framework that supports building safety and landlord
and tenant responsibilities. The Office has four Core Business Areas:
1. Housing
The Housing Policy Branch delivers strategic planning, policy and legislative development, and program evaluation services.
Delivery of these strategic services require the Branch to develop and maintain relationships with other levels of government,
industry and non-profit sectors. The responsibilities influence the programs delivered by the BC Housing Management Commission,
the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation, and other ministries. The Housing Policy Branch manages a wide range of housing
issues including, but not limited to, market and non-market housing, the housing and building industry, and the housing needs
of special populations such as youth, persons with disabilities, seniors, Aboriginal people, and the homeless population through
inter-related policies and programs developed and coordinated across the Province of British Columbia.
2. Building Policy
The Building Policy Branch provides policy advice concerning British Columbia's building regulatory system to improve building
safety in the province and to manage existing and emerging technical and building policy issues. The Branch is responsible
for the BC Building Code and the BC Fire Code, and Branch activity focuses on the development and maintenance of building regulations and the framework in which building
regulations exist. The Office also supports the BC Building Code Appeal Board.
Over the coming year, the Office will continue with an initiative to modernize the system that supports building design, construction
and occupancy safety.
3. Safety Policy
The Safety Policy and Research Branch provides policy and regulatory advice in the areas of electrical, gas, elevating devices,
boiler and pressure vessel products and systems, ski lifts, and amusement rides. As well, this Branch manages administrative
agreements with delegated authorities under the Safety Standards Act.
The Safety Policy and Research Branch also provides support and guidance to the Homeowner Protection Office in its efforts
to improve the quality of residential construction and increase homeowner protection in British Columbia. The Government is
considering important amendments to the Homeowner Protection Act in the spring 2007 legislative session for implementation by the Homeowner Protection Office in September 2007. The changes
would strengthen consumer protection provisions in the Act and enhance research into the building sciences, consumer education
and training to raise the level of professionalism in the building sector.
4. Residential Tenancy
Approximately 36 per cent of households in B.C. rent their homes. The Residential Tenancy Branch promotes a positive relationship
between landlords and tenants by providing both groups with information on their rights and responsibilities under the Residential Tenancy Act and the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act. The Branch also assists landlords and tenants to resolve concerns by providing dispute resolution services, including adjudication.
The Branch has offices in Burnaby, Victoria and Kelowna, and provides services through Government Agents in other B.C. communities.
Clients contact the Branch approximately 224,000 times per year by telephone, fax, e-mail or by an in person visit to one
of its three offices. In addition, the Residential Tenancy Branch conducts approximately 30,000 dispute resolution proceedings
annually. With such a high demand, the Residential Tenancy Branch must provide efficient, cost-effective services. It must
also ensure that times for completing dispute resolution proceedings are within time limits set by legislation. Landlords
and tenants need convenient access to high quality services responsive to their needs.
The Residential Tenancy Branch, now has the capacity to provide a broader spectrum of dispute resolution services than was
previously available under the formal and adversarial arbitration process. The public will have access to alternate dispute
resolution methods such as intervention, facilitation and use of settlement agreements.
Legislative Framework
The Office has responsibility for the following legislation:
- Building Officials' Association Act
- Commercial Tenancy Act
- Community Charter (Part of) s. 9 (1) (d)
- Fire Services Act (Part of) s. 47 (2) (g) (h) [BC Fire Code]
- Homeowner Protection Act
- Local Government Act (Part of) s. 692, 693 [BC Building Code]
- Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act
- Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing Act (s. 5, 8.1 and 10)
- Rent Distress Act
- Residential Tenancy Act
- Safety Standards Act
- Safety Authority Act
- Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters Act
Information Resource Management Plan
The Office of Housing and Construction Standard's Information Resource Management Plan aligns with the Office's business objectives.
An overview is available on the Office's website at: http://www.housing.gov.bc.ca/planning.