The B.C. NDP government is hearing stories of huge jumps in strata condominium insurance costs, and calls from the opposition B.C. Liberals to provide assistance.
B.C. Liberal housing critic Todd Stone called on the province Tuesday to deal with 鈥渕assive spikes in strata insurance premiums, deductibles and fees.鈥 He proposed legislation that would require more disclosure from strata councils on their insurance and notice of when insurance is coming up for renewal.
He noted that there are 30,000 strata corporations in B.C. and nearly half of Metro Vancouver residents live in strata housing.
鈥淥ne strata has informed me that their premium has gone up by 335 per cent year over year,鈥 Stone told the B.C. legislature. 鈥淭heir deductible for water damage has gone up from $5,000 to $250,000. What this means for he folks who live in this strata building is that there is going to be a one-time assessment of $1,000 per strata unit owner, and their monthly strata fees are going to go up $100 per month.鈥
MLA says the province has a role to play in protecting strata properties
鈥 Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
Finance Minister Carole James said strata corporations across the country are affected, and the province is working with strata associations and the insurance industry. Part of it is the soaring values of urban properties, and part of it is the effects of climate change, she said.
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Tony Gioventu, executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association of B.C., gave a statement supporting Stone鈥檚 proposed legislation.
鈥淭his isnt鈥 just about large corporate interests and risks,鈥 Gioventu said. 鈥淭he individual homeowners are feeling the effects deep in their pocketbooks and increased exposure to high rates and deductibles.鈥
Stone also urged the government to create an assistance program for water protection projects.
鈥淭his would be a program that would provide incentives for retrofits that would help mitigate the risk of extensive and costly water damage,鈥 Stone said. 鈥淭his would help to prevent the water damage from happening in the first place, but it would also have the effect of being taken into account by the insurance underwriters in bringing insurance costs down.鈥
The so-called 鈥渓eaky condo crisis鈥 that swept through coastal B.C. from buildings constructed from 1980s to the early 2000s was related to the design and construction of building envelopes. In B.C. it caused an estimated $4 billion in repair costs and a headed by former premier Dave Barrett.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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