CRD Watch Homepage

Documents obtained by Freedom of Information reveal that the Urban Development Institute (UDI) and the Province of BC collaborated on the Housing Supply Act. The Act would lead to Provincially mandated housing targets and advisors being appointed for some municipalities.

By Sasha Izard
Feb 23, 2025


Documents obtained from Freedom of Information show the Province of BC and the Urban Development Institute having collaborated extensively, in regard to the Housing Supply Act and its regulations, which would lead to Provincially mandated housing targets for municipalities, and also to Provincial advisors appointed to municipalities (2 so far) that haven’t reached the Province’s housing targets since the target’s release.

Mandated housing targets were something that had been lobbied to the Province by the UDI for years (the UDI is registered the BC Lobbyists Registry). Now the Province was delivering and appeasing the UDI by building in possibilities of enforcements of them and repeatedly seeking their advice on how to do it.

Not only was the Province giving the UDI what it wanted with these targets; the UDI had also been serving behind the scenes as regulatory advisor to the Province on the Housing Supply Act (Bill 43), which enabled the targets. Those involved, which included those at the top of the UDI hierarchy, who were advising the Province on this, were compelled to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements to the Province (which were also included in the FOI Response document).

The following series of documents obtained from Freedom of Information reveals much about the UDI’s collaborations and influence with the Province in regards to the generation of the Housing Supply Act and also the secrecy that surrounded it:

—————————————————————————————————

—————————————————————————————————

—————————————————————————————————

—————————————————————————————————

The following response from the UDI in 2022 in the FOI document from the Ministry of Housing, provides some glimpse into the process. S.13 is a controversial form of censorship used by the Province that essentially hides most lobbying content of the variety: policy advice and recommendations for public bodies from public view.

See also:

The Urban Development Institute lobbied the Province of BC to implement what they called “Global Housing Targets”. The Province would deliver new Housing Bills in response. – CRD Watch Homepage

In March 2023, prior to the release of the BC Provincial Housing Targets for select municipalities, the Urban Development Institute (UDI), not only lobbied the Province on Enforceable Housing Targets, but also on an Advisor for municipalities “should they be appointed”. – CRD Watch Homepage

https://crdwatch.ca/2025/06/06/the-government-of-british-columbia-had-top-figures-in-the-most-powerful-lobbying-organization-for-development-and-real-estate-interests-in-the-province-sign-non-disclosure-agreements/