Municipalities Seek Heritage Exemption
Victoria and Port Moody councils have passed resolutions to seek exemptions from the provincial Homeowner Protection Act (HPA) for recognized heritage property. New Westminster and Vancouver are also expected to debate similar resolutions, which are being forwarded to the Union of B.C. Municipalities for consideration at the fall Annual General Meeting.
The HPA, enacted in 1998, requires that every new home created in B.C. be covered by warranty insurance. The legislation grew out of the leaky condo fiasco and was designed to restore home buyer confidence. It has unfortunately caught up a number of heritage rehabilitation projects, which were never part of the problem, resulting in enforced and undesirable changes to heritage fabric, especially windows. The move to seek a heritage exemption is the latest chapter in a three-year struggle to counter the effects of the HPA.
