Stakeholder Advisory Committee

Al-Karim Kara (Chair – LTSA Stakeholder Advisory Committee), LTSA President and CEO

Al-Karim Kara is the President and CEO of the LTSA. He reports to the LTSA’s Board of Directors and is responsible for the executive oversight of the company.

Al-Karim joined LTSA in 2009 and most recently served as the Vice President Business Innovation and Chief Information Officer at LTSA.

Meggin Messenger, Executive Director

Edward Wilson, Partner with Lawson Lundell LLP

Ed is a partner with Lawson Lundell LLP and has practiced in the real estate and municipal law fields with a specialty in real estate development for over 30 years. He acts for a number of international, national and local developers and investors in industrial, commercial and residential projects.

Ed has been actively involved in the activities of the Canadian Bar Association, and has served as its representative on the British Columbia Real Estate Association Standard Forms Committee (1995–present). Ed has drafted and updated the CBA Standard Real Estate Undertakings used in most BC real estate transactions since their inception in 1997. Beginning in 2000, Ed served as the CBA’s representative on the Land Title Branch/Law Society Electronic Filing Committee (now the LTSA Business Transformation Advisory Committee).

Ed has served on a number of Law Society of BC Task Forces including those on Conveyancing Practices (2002), Lawyers Selling Real Estate (2003–2004), and Land Titles (2011).

Ed has been actively involved with Continuing Legal Education Society of BC. He has taught more than 15 CLEBC courses. Ed’s service on behalf of the profession and dedication to CLEBC was recognized in 2007 when Ed was awarded CLEBC’s Leader in Learning Award. The award recognizes volunteers such as Ed who have distinguished themselves by making exceptional contributions to continuing professional education.

John Mayr, Executive Director of the Society of Notaries Public of BC

John comes to the Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia with a 20-year history of regulating professionals. Over that period of time, he has regulated Denturists, Licensed Practical Nurses, and most recently Social Workers, with each profession having unique challenges and complex relationships.

Mr. Mayr holds a Master in Law from Osgoode Hall York University and a MBA from Royal Roads University.  He has extensive experience leading and managing professional regulatory organizations with a focus on corporate governance, strategic planning, establishing effective operational business systems, stakeholder consultation, implementing standards of practice, and educational program development and measurement.

The Society of Notaries Public of BC is in the process of separating its regulatory function from its professional promotion function. John is Executive Director of the Society of Notaries Public of BC, and is responsible for education and ongoing development, licensing, complaints, discipline, and audits and inspections.

Jason Grant, President and CEO

Jason joined BC Assessment in 1991 and has most recently served as Acting VP Assessment and Assessor for the Greater Vancouver region, accountable for the creation of annual property assessments for over 500,000 properties worth approximately $825 billion dollars. He is the past Chair of the BC Assessment Senior Leadership team and, for the last several years, he has been the corporate media spokesperson. Jason has extensive experience with complex appraisal and related legal matters.

Jason has been a member of the Real Estate Institute of BC (REIBC) since 1994 and was elected to their Board of Governors in 2012, serving as REIBC President from 2014-2015. Jason is an Accredited Appraiser with the Appraisal Institute of Canada (AACI).

Howard Grant, Executive Director

Howard E. Grant is currently the Executive Director of the First Nations Summit (F.N.S.) which represents 42 negotiating tables and 154 First Nations in B.C. Mr. Grant is currently serving his sixth term as an elected Councillor for the Musqueam Indian Band (M.I.B.).

Howard was previously employed with M.I.B. as the Executive Director from 1992-1997. He also was employed with the federal government (DIAND) in the capacity of Associate Regional Director of Operations and as a District Manager from 1984-1992.

Within his roles of Executive Director (M.I.B.) and senior manager (DIAND), he was responsible for operational issues, policy development and implementation and budget/audit requirements.

Howard has served and continues to serve on numerous First Nations, and Federal Government boards and committees. Also, Howard sits on many post-secondary institutions and public sector committees in the capacity of advisor and/or board member.

Dr. John Lutz, University of Victoria: Professor, History

John Lutz is a professor of history at the University of Victoria, former chair of the History Department and director of the Centre for Community Based Research. He has taken a leading role in several major historical digitization projects including the Colonial Despatches Project, Fort Victoria Journal online, the historical British Colonist, Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History and works with the UVic Library to digitize and make available rare historical maps of British Columbia from archives in the UK and Canada.

He specializes in British Columbia History and the history of Indigenous-settler relations in the Pacific Northwest and is the author of Makuk: A New History of Aboriginal White Relations (2008), and an editor of To Share Not Surrender: Indigenous and Settler Visions of Treaty Making in the Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia (2021) and Towards a New Ethnohistory: Community Engaged Scholarship Among the People of the River (2018), among others.

He loves pouring over, and learning from, historical maps.  He is active in local community mapping initiatives and in 2012 he was made a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Jennifer Williams, Senior Lawyer 

With over 20 years of experience advising commercial real estate and development clients, Jennifer M. Williams has created a reputation for herself as a practical, solution-oriented lawyer, focusing on listening to client needs and providing timely, responsive, and results-focused legal advice. Currently a Commercial Real Estate and Development lawyer at MLT Aikins LLP, one of the leading regional, full-service law firms in western Canada, Jennifer is the Co-Chair of the Real Estate Group and a member of our Business Law and Indigenous Business Law groups.

Jennifer joined LTSA’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee in 2022 and is keen to bring her real estate expertise to this position. Her cross-disciplinary practice gives her a unique appreciation for the risk and rewards of commercial real estate and development which informs the advice she provides to her clients.  She knows firsthand what business people need and delivers on her well-earned reputation for thinking like a business partner and providing innovative and practical solutions to her clients’ issues.  Jennifer is exceptional at simplifying complex issues and communicating concisely in business language. Her distinctive career pathway provides perspective into the challenges that affect real estate professionals in many different facets of the real estate community – which makes her the perfect fit for this committee.

An avid writer, Jennifer is the author of many articles published by The Continuing Legal Education Society of BC (CLEBC). She is also a prolific speaker, presenting at various legal and real estate industry events and conferences. She also generously gives her time to various charitable and pro bono services, including Access Pro Bono. Passionate about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Jennifer has served as a past chair and is a current member of numerous committees dedicated to EDI. Her respect and engagement with the Indigenous community arises from the desire to support Indigenous economic development as underscored by her Indigenous husband and two children who are members of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.

Trevor Koot, Chief Executive Officer

Trevor Koot is the Chief Executive Officer of the BC Real Estate Association, headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Trevor brings seventeen years of expertise in organized real estate, most recently serving as Executive Officer of Kamloops and District Real Estate Association (KADREA) for four years and as Executive Officer at the Kootenay Association of REALTORS® (KAR) for three years. Trevor was crucial to the successful amalgamation of KADREA and KAR with the Association of Interior REALTORS®, making it the third-largest real estate board in BC. A former managing broker and Realtor himself, he also has a hands-on understanding of the profession’s needs.

Trevor also brings an insider’s understanding of global real estate regulation and governance work. He was the Chair of the Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission for five years, where he played a key role in redrafting provincial real estate regulations. He also served as Chair of the Governance Committee at the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials in 2017.

Trevor is completing his Master of Business Administration through Royal Roads University and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Saskatchewan. He is also a certified Canadian Real Estate Association Leadership/Governance Instructor and holds the Canadian REALTOR® Association Executive designation. He previously served as Kamloops YMCA-YWCA’s Board of Directors Treasurer.

Ruth Balfour, President of the BC Association of Professional Registry Agents (BCAPRA)

Ruth Balfour is the President of the BC Association of Professional Registry Agents (BCAPRA), a non-profit organization that helps shape decisions around land title registration in British Columbia.

A member of the WCTS family since 1982, Ruth has spent over 40 years dedicated to customer service excellence. Her work in computerizing the company significantly enhanced their ability to navigate and utilize the functionalities of the BC Government registries’ computerized systems. In 2016, she took on the role of General Manager, leading with her passion for innovation and service.

Beyond her professional achievements, Ruth is deeply committed to community service. She has volunteered extensively with youth sports organizations in Richmond, including serving as Vice Present of the Richmond Soccer Association’s Under 6 to Under 11 programs, and as Treasurer for the Richmond South Delta Minor Ball Hockey Association. Her passion lies in creating inclusive spaces where children of all skill levels can thrive, build friendships, and have fun.

Ron Gill, Manager, Area Planning and Development, North Division 
Approving Officer

Ron has a Masters degree in Planning from the University of Waterloo and is a full-time member of both the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) and the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP).

Ron has been employed with the City of Surrey as a professional planner since July 2004. During that time, Ron worked his way up through the organization, starting as an entry level Planning Technician, and gradually working his way into his current role as the Area Planning and Development Manager, and Approving Officer, for the North Surrey Division. The Area Planning team administers the development application review and approval process for the north area of the City including the City Centre, Guildford, Fleetwood, and Cloverdale Town Centres, and the South Westminster/Port Kells industrial areas.

Ron is a graduate of the City of Surrey’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and recently contributed to a publication entitled The Right Decision: Evidence-based Decision Making for Government. This publication, developed in partnership between The City of Surrey and the University of the Fraser Valley, includes a manual and companion workbook, and brings evidence-based decision making down to the basics, providing government professionals with an effective tool to help them validate a particular approach or choice.

Brendon Hastings
Senior Regional Manager, Commercial Real Estate Lending

Brendon Hastings is a Commercial Real Estate professional with over 12 years of experience. He currently works at Central 1 Credit Union as Sr. Regional Manager, overseeing Central 1’s British Columbia portfolio. Prior to Central 1, he held similar positions at HSBC and Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union. Brendon is a graduate of Simon Fraser University, with a degree in economics. As part of his degree, he also attended the University of Minnesota’s Carson School of Business Management.

Brendon is a father of two young children and loves to spend time with family. When not with his kids, he spends a fair amount of time on the golf course, perfecting his short game. He currently resides in Victoria, BC.

Jeremy Hewitt, Assistant Deputy Minister

Jeremy Hewitt is Assistant Deputy Minister for the Policy and Legislation Division at the Ministry of Finance. The division is responsible for developing and providing advice to Cabinet and the Minister of Finance regarding B.C.’s economic, tax, financial and corporate sector policy. He works with a team of experts who are focused on supporting government build a secure, clean and fair economy while ensuring government has the resources it needs to provide the services people count on.

Jeremy previously served for 5 years as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Climate Action Secretariat, where he played a lead role in developing and delivering B.C.’s climate action plans. With over 18 years of experience in the BC Public Service, Jeremy has served in several departments, contributing to the Province’s work on climate change, trade, economic development, transportation and intergovernmental relations.

Parminder Raeewal, Director, Western Canada Government Relations

Parm Raeewal is the Director, Western Canada Government Relations for the Canadian Bankers Association, based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. She is responsible for banking advocacy and policy support for the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Born and raised in Calgary, she graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Public Policy, before starting her career in the energy sector. Her experience includes advocacy support while at the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, Enbridge Pipelines and the Institute of Energy Economics Japan, working on policy issues in Western Canada and Southeast Asia. In addition, she has worked on European digital policy topics during her time at Vodafone Group, where she was the Global Senior Public Policy Manager.

Chad Rintoul, Chief Executive Officer

Chad Rintoul is the Chief Executive Officer of the British Columbia Notaries Association (BCNA), whose mandate includes supporting the profession of Notaries Public in British Columbia.

Chad was the Chief Administrative Office of the Association of BC Land Surveyors from 2013 – April 2020. He has served on the Victoria Airport Authority Board of Directors from 2007 – 2013, where he was Chairman of Planning and Development, and from 2013 – 2018 as a Board member and President of the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association, Director of the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association and he continues volunteering as a member of the BC Hockey Appeal Committee.

In addition to serving on the LTSA Stakeholder Advisory Committee, Chad is an elected member of the Town of Sidney Council, a Commissioner at the Peninsula Recreation Commission, and a Director of CREST the Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications Inc.