Article content

To what extent does the real estate industry influence B.C. politicians?

People who can offer a sound judgment on that burning question worry that developers and builders have an unhealthy degree of sway over our politicians.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Douglas Todd: How much does the real estate industry influence B.C. politicians? Back to video

Metro Vancouver residents are justifiably upset the B.C. government is doing next to nothing to respond to the city’s housing crisis, as prices rose about 25 per cent in the past year alone.

Unlike most jurisdictions around the world, the governing B.C. Liberals refuse to even provide data on foreigners who buy Metro Vancouver property, let alone restrict the extent to which they can do so.

The B.C. Liberals have also been regularly accused of overlooking shady real-estate practices and failing to enforce Canada’s tax-residency requirements, leading to wealthy migrants gaining advantages over domestic buyers.

UPDATES: Douglas Todd: Foreign donations a threat to B.C. democracy (Nov. 2016)