Thursday, July 27, 2023

On July 26, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet in preparation for the next federal election.

His goal is “to deliver on what matters most to Canadians: making life more affordable for the middle class, growing the economy, and building a strong future for people from coast to coast to coast,” the prime minister said in a news release.

There are seven new ministers and more than a dozen ministers with new roles.

Joyce Murray (Vancouver Quadra) was dropped from the Fisheries portfolio after announcing she won’t be running in the next election. 

Federal cabinet ministers from BC (all are from REBGV ridings)

  • Terry Beech (Burnaby North-Seymour) is new to the cabinet as minister of citizens' services
  • Carla Qualtrough (Delta) is now minister of sport and physical activity
  • Harjit S. Sajjan (Vancouver South) is now president of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and minister of emergency preparedness and minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
  • Jonathan Wilkinson is now minister of energy and natural resources

Federal cabinet ministers with portfolios related to housing and real estate

  • Sean Fraser (Central Nova, Nova Scotia) is now minister of housing, infrastructure and communities
  • Chrystia Freeland continues as deputy prime minister and minister of finance
  • Marie-Claude Bibeau is now minister of national revenue
  • Steven Guilbeault is now minister of environment and climate change
  • Dominic LeBlanc is now minister of public safety, democratic institutions and intergovernmental affairs
  • Diane Lebouthillier is now minister of fisheries, oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
  • Lawrence MacAulay is now minister of agriculture and agri-food
  • Marc Miller is now minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship
  • Seamus O’Regan Jr.is now minister of labour and seniors
  • Pablo Rodriguez is now minister of transport and will continue to serve as Quebec lieutenant
  • Rechie Valdez is now minister of small business

Why are cabinet ministers important?

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) represents 160,000 REALTORS® through 74 real estate boards and associations across Canada. 

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver regularly works with CREA to advocate on issues of importance to property buyers and sellers and the business of real estate.

For example, issues include lobbying for improvements to the:

  • Foreign Buyers’ Ban;
  • Underused Housing Tax;
  • Home Buyers’ Plan (RRSPs for down payments);
  • Tax-Free First Home Savings Account;
  • GST/HST New Housing Rebate;
  • GST on rental housing;
  • First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit; and
  • CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Premium refund.

Here’s a list of federal MPs from BC.

Read the prime minister’s new release.