Reports and guides for BC property owners

Market reports, regulatory briefs and practical guides on rental, strata and buying and selling in British Columbia. Every figure links to its source.

Regulation

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Regulatory Brief · Apr 18, 2026BC Strata Bylaws — What Councils Can and Cannot EnforceStrata bylaws are enforceable rules, but they are not unlimited. The SPA sets a specific procedure for enforcement, caps the fine amount, requires a hearing opportunity, and gives the CRT final say on whether a council acted properly. Councils that skip the procedure, fine above the cap, or enforce selectively, lose at the CRT. This guide sets out what councils can and cannot do.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 18, 2026BC Home Buyer Rescission Period — The 3-Day Cooling-Off WindowCanada’s first statutory cooling-off period for resale residential purchases has been in force in BC since January 3, 2023. Property Law Act s.42 gives buyers three business days to rescind for any reason, against a 0.25% fee payable to the seller. The mechanics sound simple; in practice, when each clock starts and who the rule applies to are where buyers and sellers catch themselves out.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 17, 2026BC Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act — 2026 Enforcement UpdateTwo years into the STRAA rollout, BC has registered roughly 20,000 of the original 28,000 listings, pulled non-compliant ones from Airbnb and VRBO, and begun opting additional communities in or out based on CMHC vacancy data. This brief covers what has changed since May 2024 — principal residence, the provincial registry, platform duties, penalties, and the 2026 opt-out rules.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 17, 2026GST/PST on Residential Rentals — When It Applies and How to ComplyMost BC landlords collect no GST and no PST on residential rent — but the exceptions are where the tax bill gets large and the penalty for getting it wrong is worse. The GST treatment depends on stay length, whether substantial renovation occurred, and whether the PBRH rebate applies. This guide lays out the residential tax rules on rent, acquisition, and conversion.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 17, 2026BC Rent Increase Cap Explained — How the 2026 Limit WorksBC sets the 2026 maximum allowable rent increase at 2.3%, down from 3% in 2025. This guide explains how the cap is calculated, the notice and timing rules that determine whether your increase is enforceable, and what to do when costs rise faster than the cap.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 17, 2026BCFSA Property Management Licensing — A Complete Compliance GuideAnyone providing rental property management or strata management services for compensation in BC must be licensed under RESA, with rare exemptions. This guide covers the three service categories, the brokerage and managing-broker requirements, the education path, and the continuing-education obligations that determine whether a licence renews.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 16, 2026BC's Three-Tier Vacancy Tax Stack — Vancouver EHT, BC SVT, and the End of the Federal UHTVancouver homeowners face overlapping vacancy and underused-housing taxes from three levels of government — and the federal layer was repealed in late 2025. This guide explains the current 2026 deadlines, rates, and exemptions, and contrasts the BC stack with Toronto’s simpler municipal regime.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 16, 2026BC Depreciation Report Rules After the 2024 Reform — Council Compliance GuideBC's 2024 depreciation report reform closed the deferral loophole, shortened the cycle to five years, and established hard 2026 and 2027 deadlines for stratas without a current report. This guide walks councils through the new compliance regime and what a defensible report now looks like.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 15, 2026Strata Insurance Deductible — Who Pays When the Claim Originates in Your UnitBC strata insurance deductibles can run from $100,000 to $750,000 or higher. The Strata Property Act allows the corporation to recover the deductible from the responsible owner — even when the owner is not at fault or negligent. This guide explains the legal mechanics and what owners can do to protect themselves.

Regulatory Brief · Apr 13, 2026BC Short-Term Rental Rules — Principal Residence Requirement by CityBC's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act limits short-term rentals to a host's principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit. This guide explains the rule, the categorical exemptions, and how each major BC city interprets the requirement in 2026.

Quarterly Market SnapshotLatest: Q1 2026 · Apr 18, 2026All editions →

Annual Strata ReportLatest: 2026 · Oct 8, 2026All editions →

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