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The Perils of Political Proximity: David Eby’s Reversal on Bob Rennie and UDI Influence

Above: While a member of the opposition, MLA David Eby castigated Christy Clark and the BC Liberal Party for being under heavy political influence from Bob Rennie, in regard to housing policy.


By Mark Schoeffel
Oct 1, 2025

Once a fierce critic of undue corporate sway in British Columbia’s housing policy, Premier David Eby now appears to embrace the very influences he once decried, forging a relationship with real estate magnate Bob Rennie—dubbed Vancouver’s “Condo King”—and the Urban Development Institute (UDI) that raises questions of consistency, transparency, and potential conflicts of interest.

In his days as an opposition BC NDP MLA, Eby lambasted the BC Liberals for succumbing to Rennie’s clout. During a March 2017 legislative debate, he spotlighted the Liberal Housing Minister’s “multiple emails” with Rennie on real estate policy, demanding the Premier “set the record straight on Bob Rennie’s influence.” Eby framed this as emblematic of Liberal favoritism toward developers, amplified by corporate donations from Rennie-linked entities that flowed until the 2017 NDP-Green coalition banned them—a reform Eby championed.

Yet, upon ascending to power—first as Attorney General in 2017 and then Premier in 2022—Eby’s rhetoric softened into collaboration. He now solicits Rennie’s counsel at UDI forums, a registered lobbying body for developers. In a June 2021 UDI webcast interview, Rennie urged an “over-supply” of housing to combat the crisis, a market-driven fix Eby engaged without pushback. By May 2022, Eby headlined another UDI event, touting provincial targets for 114,000 new units by 2028 while advancing “missing middle” policies that prioritize supply over affordability—echoing UDI’s playbook. This culminated in 2023’s Housing Bills 44 and 47, which upzoned swaths of the province and curtailed public hearings, directly aligning with UDI’s 2021-2022 lobbying blitz as revealed in Freedom of Information records.

This pivot is not mere pragmatism but potentially problematic entanglement. Post-premiership donations from Rennie ($1,300 in June 2022) and previous donations from the UDI to the NDP; alongside taxpayer-funded attendance by officials at UDI galas (e.g., $150-$300 tickets for 2023-2024 events featuring Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon), blur lines between policy dialogue and undue access. Eby’s October 3, 2025, address at a UDI luncheon—again with Rennie—exemplifies this: a $150-$300-per-ticket affair where public servants mingle with lobbyists at public expense.

Eby’s evolution from watchdog to willing participant undermines public trust in an era of housing desperation. If Rennie’s influence was toxic for opponents, it merits equal scrutiny for allies—lest BC’s policies serve developers over residents. Greater disclosure of these interactions is essential to restore accountability.

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Read the full analysis with links to videos, transcripts, and other resources inside:

David Eby Before and After: How David Eby’s former criticisms of the political influence of the so-called ‘Condo King’ of Vancouver Bob Rennie, when Eby was a member of the opposition; turned once in power, to Eby becoming Rennie’s political follower. – CRD Watch Homepage

The David Eby Confession:  Premier Eby talking to the ‘Condo King’ Bob Rennie, finally spilled the beans in front of the camera, on how UDI lobbying played key role in the creation of the Provincial Housing Bills. – CRD Watch Homepage

The Perils of Political Proximity: David Eby’s Reversal on Bob Rennie and UDI Influence – CRD Watch Homepage

Director Hurley (Burnaby Mayor) lambasted the UDI’s stranglehold over Provincial housing policy at the Oct 17, 2025 Metro Vancouver Mayors Committee Special Meeting: “You got everything you wanted”. – CRD Watch Homepage

Index of articles about David Eby meeting with Bob Rennie. – CRD Watch Homepage