The BC NDP government has fired the board of its housing agency after an independent review of BC Housing revealed some problems.
The provincial housing agency’s budget is nearly $2 billion, an increase of more than 140 percent from five years ago. And with a $7 billion increase in the budget over the next decade, the province commissioned Ernst & Young to study the agency.
Just a week after the report was made public, British Columbia Housing Minister David Eby announced that members of the board of commissioners had quit.
The Ernst & Young study — completed in May but released late last month — found problems at the agency, including inadequate oversight of decisions and spending and unclear roles and responsibilities, potentially impacting BC Housing’s ability to manage risks.
A provincial news release Friday said Eby made the decision and the new board will “ensure best practices are implemented” at the agency. The statement directly refers to the Ernst & Young report.
“The review was initiated by the BC government in 2021,” the statement said, “to ensure BC Housing can meet its expanded budget and mandate given the government’s historic $7 billion investment in affordable housing for 10 years and the rapid growth of a Crown corporation’.
But BC Liberal Housing critic Mike Bernier accused Eby of making a “cover-up announcement” by releasing the news late before the weekend.
Typical of https://t.co/ZOPF9qwSTg
—@Mike_A_Bernier
“Typical of [NDP]Bernier tweeted on Friday. “Wait until late Friday to try to hide more of the failures of this.” [NDP] government.
“Ibi has failed to deliver on almost every housing promise as minister on this record!”
Changed board members
All of the outgoing board members were appointed after the New Democrats came to power in 2017.
Included in the change — announced in the news release — is the replacement of NDP-appointed board chair Cassie Doyle.
She is being replaced by Alan Seckel, former head of the British Columbia Public Service under the British Columbia Liberal government in the 2000s and former deputy attorney general of the province.
“Doyle has not sought re-appointment for her four-year term, which ends on July 18, 2022,” the province said in a June 30 announcement.
Although Doyle’s role was due to end this month, seven of the former board members were appointed to serve until 2023 and two until 2024.
Other suspended board members were Barb Karl-Tiesson, Joan Granek, Penny Gerstein, Kerry Pateman, Susan Russell-Chaney, Sonia Sahota and Perry Stanisia.
They are replaced by Jill Cote, Sheila Taylor, Mark Sieben and Russ Jones — plus two new appointees who will take their seats in a few weeks.
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