THE KEY amalgamation of the Rental Owners and Managers Association, BC Apartment Owners and Managers Association, and the Rental Housing Council. The vision behind this merger was to create one united voice for our industry; one association that could collectively educate, support, and advocate on behalf of rental housing providers from across B.C. There were some growing pains as the new association adapted to meet the demands of the larger membership body, but that merger lead to the flourishing and vibrant organization that you are all members of today.
CHAIR’S MESSAGE Jason Middleton, Chair, LandlordBC It is an understatement to suggest that 2020 presented an entirely new set of challenges for our industry. And the year is not over yet! As a sector, we were forced to adapt our operations due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis and adjust to emergency measures implemented by the government to protect British Columbians. Suffice it to say we will continue to face uncertainty for some time to come, and what we knew as normal pre-COVID, is unlikely to return anytime soon, if at all. Nevertheless, LandlordBC, under the leadership of our CEO David Hutniak, and with the guidance of the board of directors, rose to this occasion. LandlordBC was embedded in consultation with the provincial government from the beginning of and throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and that robust consultation was responsible for ensuring our sector was well-represented so that government would take a balanced approach in their decision making processes. We knew that it would be naïve to believe that our sector would be left unscathed from this unprecedented crisis, but the fact is we weathered the storm significantly better than expected, and we can take considerable comfort and pride in knowing that LandlordBC’s advocacy efforts and the high esteem with which the organization is held by government, was very instrumental in those results. Where I feel our members and the broader sector recognized the full force of LandlordBC’s response to the COVID-19 crisis was in the detailed, informed and extensive communication that the team delivered day in and day out during the peak of the crisis. LandlordBC’s e-news blasts, blog and social media posts were must read resources, and the LandlordBC team’s unwavering support for association members and the broader sector remains unmatched when compared to any other industry association in the province. Not only did the team continue to provide access to the grassroots resources and tools we all expect from LandlordBC, they streamlined advocacy efforts, focused on advocating to protect the viability of rental housing in British Columbia, and positioned our association and broader sector to be leaders in this time of crisis. Without a doubt we’ve brought LandlordBC to the forefront of the housing debate and we can say with considerable confidence that LandlordBC is a housing industry thought leader respected by all levels of government, the media, and a broad range of stakeholders. This is a significant and critically important accomplishment. This year also marks LandlordBC’s 50th anniversary. LandlordBC in the form you know today, came into fruition in 2013 with the
10 | WINTER 2020
In any business, it is important that you adapt and adjust your practices to meet the changing world including ensuring that you meet society’s expectations for inclusivity by curating a culture of diversity. In the effort to actively work towards this goal, I am happy to announce that your board has put together the Diversity and Inclusion Ad Hoc Committee of LandlordBC. The primary focus of this committee, which will consist of three directors plus our chair and CEO as ex officio members, is to develop and execute policies to promote the values of diversity and inclusion within LandlordBC and its external programming and position, in light of LandlordBC’s role as an industry organization promoting the interests of landlords to the public and government. The policies and programming will be designed to promote the diversity and inclusion values of LandlordBC in four key areas: • Board of director’s composition, • LandlordBC workplace culture, hiring policies, • Industry standards, and • LandlordBC membership educational programing. This is an important step and will directly impact LandlordBC’s dynamic growth as the association that is here to represent all rental housing providers in our province while being sensitive to the approximately 1.5 million British Columbians for whom we provide homes. You will be hearing more about the work of this committee in the coming weeks and months. Thank you to all board members for the dedication and engagement that you have shown over the last year, not only to LandlordBC but to our industry. Additionally, I would also like to recognize three directors who have decided to resign from the board: Richard Laurencelle, Irene Tiampo, and Andrew Bekes. It has been a pleasure to serve as the chair of LandlordBC’s board of directors and I have valued the opportunity to work with David and the amazing team of professionals we have at LandlordBC. As mentioned, this year has been one full of unexpected twists and turns, but by building on the foundation that we have as professional owners and managers of rental housing, I am confident that 2021 will prove to be a year filled with growth and accomplishments. LandlordBC would like to acknowledge the passing of board member Richard McCarvill. Richard passed very recently after a brief illness. Richard and his wife Shelagh resided in Vernon and over the years have been landlords, eventually forming a local landlord network called the Okanagan Landlord Society which was subsequently structured as a regional chapter of ROMSBC and then LandlordBC. Richard served on the ROMSBC board and was instrumental in the amalgamation that resulted in the formation of LandlordBC in 2013. He will be remembered for his work as the LandlordBC board secretary, treasurer and chair of the finance committee. I am sure many of you met Richard at our LandlordBC events, where he and his wife Shelagh could be found happily mingling with other members. Our thoughts and condolences go out to their family.
