Another Year, No Action: Foreign Buyer Ban Continues to Leave BC Ski Areas Out in the Cold

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 19, 2026 /CNW/ - The Association of Interior REALTORS^® (AOIR), in partnership with the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), is renewing calls for the federal government to exempt several major ski resort communities in the province from 2022's Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act (also known as the Foreign Buyer Ban).

Under current federal regulations, the Foreign Buyer Ban applies to areas designated by Statistics Canada as Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) or Census Agglomerations (CAs). In BC's Interior, this classification captures nine communities and their surrounding regions. While the legislation aims to curb foreign speculation in major population centres, using CMA and CA boundaries as the determining factor has inadvertently swept up a number of geographically distinct areas.

Specifically, the Foreign Buyer Ban has caused unintentional economic difficulties for some ski communities. In already challenging market conditions, preventing foreign investment in tourism-focused areas is a needless hindrance. Yet despite federal awareness of this issue, the government has been slow to act.

"Another year has gone by and we've yet to see any action on this," said AOIR Director of Government Relations and Communications Seth Scott. "The Interior has some of the province's most important tourism regions and most popular ski hills. Homes on these mountains serve a different purpose than those in the centre of communities. With another ski season underway, now is the time for government to step up with an exemption and keep these areas economically viable in an already challenged economy."

Currently, the Foreign Buyer Ban doesn't encompass other large BC ski resort areas and municipalities, including Whistler and Big White, or other ski communities outside the province, such as Mont Tremblant.

"This is a matter of fairness and consistency," said BCREA Senior VP of Government Relations, Marketing & Communications Trevor Hargreaves. "Including some ski resort areas and excluding others simply by chance really isn't good policy making. Providing an exemption for all ski communities in BC is a simple fix and the right thing to do. This is an urgent issue, and it's one that Canada's Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Gregor Robertson, should get to work on fixing immediately."

AOIR and BCREA are urging Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada as well as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to issue a regulatory exemption for Sun Peaks, Apex Mountain, Silverstar, and similar Interior ski resort areas as soon as possible.

For more information:

Seth Scott
Director of Government Relations and Communications
Association of Interior REALTORS^®
[email protected]

Trevor Hargreaves
Senior VP, Government Relations, Marketing & Communications
BC Real Estate Association
[email protected]

About AOIR
The Association of Interior REALTORS^® officially came into existence in January 2021. Formed through an amalgamation of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, the South Okanagan Real Estate Board, the Kamloops & District Real Estate Association and the Kootenay Association of REALTORS^® with the purpose to better serve their REALTOR^® members by establishing a cohesive voice in real estate, enhance professionalism within the industry and provide greater support to local REALTORS^®. 

About BCREA
BCREA is the provincial association for BC REALTORS^®. As a champion for the real estate sector, BCREA advances REALTOR^® professionalism and ensures the REALTOR^® voice is heard, for the benefit of consumers and communities, across BC. By working in collaboration with the province's real estate boards and associations, our mission is to provide professional development opportunities, advocacy, economic and policy research, and standard forms so REALTORS^® are trusted, respected, and proud of their profession.

SOURCE BC Real Estate Association