B.C. Liberals had 'pretty good' record on housing, Rich Coleman says

B.C. Liberal interim leader Rich Coleman said during its 16 years in power, his party posted a "pretty good" record on housing affordability but faced challenges along the way.

"It's all supply and demand. The marketplace drives a lot of things," he told CBC host Dan Burritt during a year end interview.

"Governments can't actually, just by themselves, drive affordability."

But while in government, his party did take action on the file, he said, citing policies like the foreign buyers' tax on Metro Vancouver homes and theluxury tax on homes selling for over $2 million.

• Andrew Weaver defends Green Party's choices on Site C

He said their policy of subsidizing rents still helps 30,000 people who need it the most: people living in poverty or with a disability, mental health or addiction problem.

"We helped more people individually by doing that and changing lives than just building the bricks and mortar all the time."

He also predicts the100,000 housing units for the Lower Mainland that areon their way would moderate prices, adding his government's pursuit of those units wasn't easy.

"The reality is is it takes so long to develop anything in the City of Vancouver.Even if they give you a piece of land, you can basically bank three years to try and get it in the groundand that's a fast track."

Rich Coleman talks housing affordability

7 years ago

Duration 1:02

In a year-end interview, the B.C. Liberal interim leader talks about his party's record on housing and what he wants from the NDP.

Says Liberals put NDP in good spot

Despite winning the most seats in the historic May 2017 election, the Liberals were sent to the Opposition benches thanks to a deal between the NDP and Greens.

He predicts the new government will face some of the same housing challenges as the Liberals: a hot market, short supply and diverse market realities across the province.

• 'We have not made a dent': John Horgan pledges more action on affordable housing in 2018

"What they've inherited, for the most part, is a very good organization and very good leaders and innovators in [B.C. Housing] who can, given a challenge, find solutions," he said. "The challenge is, what are you going to do?"

He said 1,700 units of social housing the new government is working on had already been in the works under the Liberals and their election promise of 114,000 new units across the province in 10 years was now an "aspirational goal" that would not be met.

Housing choice needed

Premier John Horgan has said many of the NDP's housing policies will be revealed in February's budget and Coleman wants himto tread cautiously on budget day.

"Don't demonize the market and don't demonize people," he said.

"There are people who bought a house in Vancouver for instance in the 1960s, who did without things, without cable, so they can buy their home and build their equity and now are at an age where they might want to retire and put some equity toward their children.

• Over 20% of new condos in Vancouver and Richmond owned by non-residents

"At the same time, you want people to be able to get in on the affordability side of the marketplace."

When asked if his party saw housing as a right or a commodity, he said everyone has a right to a home "in some form or another" and the government's job was to provide choice.

"They have the right to make a choice based on their income, based on where they live, based on what they want for their families," he said.

Coleman didn't offer any housing policy advice for the new leader of his party to be determined in February saying the first priority was to get that leader established. Coleman is not joining the leadership race.