Columbia River Field School. Photo: Bailey Repp/Wildsight
Our Story
The Real Estate Foundation of BC is a philanthropic organization working to advance sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use across BC.
Our Mission
We fund projects, build relationships, and share knowledge to advance sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use and real estate practices across BC.
Our Vision
We envision a healthy environment that supports thriving, resilient, liveable communities from one generation to the next.
How We Started
In 1985, the Government of British Columbia, in cooperation with the real estate industry, enacted legislation to establish the Real Estate Foundation of BC. In 1988, REFBC began making grants to support projects led by non-profit organizations.
Nexwagwezʔan. Photo: Stephen Hui
$100M+
granted to projects since 1988
$13.6M
granted to 106 projects in 2023-24
65%
went to Indigenous-led organizations in 2023-24
How We Invest
When property is purchased in BC, real estate brokerages may hold a deposit in a pooled trust account until the sale closes. While held in trust, these deposits generate a small amount of interest.
Under the Real Estate Services Act, the Foundation receives this interest and pays fees associated with these accounts. In turn, REFBC uses these funds to support projects that benefit communities across BC.
The Foundation invests a portion of its revenue. In the long term, our investment portfolio guarantees the longevity of our grants program. In the short term, investment income helps offset our operating costs.
To help align our investment practices with our mission and values, we use environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria to help screen our investment portfolio. We also make direct impact investments in projects and funds that have a financial return as well as social or environmental benefits.
Fact Sheet
Our Logo
For thousands of years, the salmonberry plant’s pink blossom has helped announce the arrival of spring up and down the coast of what’s now known as British Columbia. It’s a resilient perennial that depends on a healthy, reciprocal relationship between water and land, and people and salmon, to thrive. It’s a symbol of potential and optimism for what’s to come. Its red and orange berries remind us of the early rewards and nourishment that comes when we take care of these relationships.
If you’re interested in learning a little more, Jess Úst̓i, executive director of Qqs Projects Society, a Heiltsuk nonprofit, wrote a wonderful article about this amazing plant. It’s known by many names along the coast, including lileʔəɬp in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, elílá:lhp in Halq’eméylem, and yetwánay̓ in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim, a few of the languages spoken by Indigenous peoples in the Lower Mainland. (Visit the Museum of Vancouver’s Indigenous Plant Guide and FirstVoices to hear pronunciations.)
We hope the salmonberry helps remind us to keep on giving forward, and honour the relationships of people, lands, and waters we are all so connected to.
Our Network
