Licensing & Consumer Services is a branch of BC Housing. It is responsible for licensing residential builders and building envelope renovators province-wide; administering Owner Builder Authorizations; and carrying out research and education which benefits the residential construction industry and consumers.
Licensing & Consumer Services serves buyers of new homes and people arranging for new homes to be built, homeowners, developers, residential builders, building envelope renovators and owner builders. In undertaking its activities they also works closely with warranty providers, building officials, industry and related consumer associations, all levels of government, educational institutions, research organizations, architects, engineers, property managers, the legal community and the real estate community. Licensing & Consumer Services was formed as a response to the need to create basic consumer protections for buyers of new homes. The Homeowner Protection Act which passed on July 28, 1998 for the main purposes of strengthening consumer protection for buyers of new homes and improving the quality of residential construction in the province. The Act provided for the creation of Licensing & Consumer Services and officially opened on October 1, 1998.
History
On February 12, 2018, the CBC shared the following story: "No questions asked at new refuges for homeless youth" - Three homes in East Vancouver hope to help teens get offthe streets. On February 11, 2018, The Vancouver Sun ran the following story: "Vancouver unveils Marpole temporary modular housing" - The units in the modular apartment building set to open in Marpole this month are small, just 250 sq. feet, but each will offer a homeless person their own small kitchen and bathroom with a shower stall. On January 12, 2018, CTV Vancouver shared the following story: "3 new modular housing sites announced for Surrey's homeless" - The B.C. government and the City of Surrey have announced plans for three new modular housing projects for Surrey's homeless residents. On September 10, 2012 the CBC showed the following headlines: "Public housing in Vancouver called 'crack shacks and brothels' - CEO admits filthy, crime-ridden buildings in 'abysmal' shape".