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Former Victoria mayor appointed as B.C. housing adviser

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps speaks during a vigil to honour the victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting in Victoria, B.C., Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Posted January 26, 2023 5:04 pm.

Just months after leaving the Victoria mayor’s chair, Lisa Helps has a new job.

B.C. Premier David Eby has appointed her as his housing solutions adviser, the province announced Thursday.

Helps will work to design and develop the BC Builds program, the province says. The program is intended to “build housing for middle-income families, individuals and seniors.”

Related Story: B.C. creates $500-million rental protection fund

After serving two terms as the mayor of Victoria, Helps decided not to run for office again in 2022.

Eby says he’s “pleased” to have the former mayor on the project.

The B.C. premier has made a handful of housing announcements in his short stint thus far. That includes a $500 million fund for rental housing protections, and a proposed move to end strata rental restrictions.

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