Introduction: British Columbia is addressing housing challenges with new legislation. This aims to bring smaller, multi-unit housing options to communities like townhomes, triplexes, and laneway homes. Simultaneously, it modernizes outdated zoning rules to expedite construction.
British Columbia Housing Challenges and Solutions
A Complex Issue: Addressing the challenge of finding suitable housing in beloved communities is paramount. Outdated zoning rules exacerbate the problem, with high-rise condos and single-family homes dominating the landscape. These housing types fail to meet diverse housing needs in neighborhoods. The province acts decisively to fix zoning issues and accelerate housing development.
Historical Zoning Challenges: In the past, zoning rules in many BC communities led to an overabundance of condos and single-family homes, which were financially out of reach for many residents. This housing disparity left a significant gap in the market. Furthermore, zoning barriers and intricate regulations not only delayed housing delivery but also complicated the process of addressing shortages.
The Proposed Housing Legislation
A Flexible Approach: The proposed legislation and forthcoming regulations introduce several significant changes. Firstly, they permit one secondary suite or one laneway home (accessory dwelling unit) in all BC communities.
Encouraging Density: In municipalities with over 5,000 residents, these changes necessitate updated bylaws. These bylaws will enable:
- Three to four units on single-family or duplex-zoned lots, dependent on the lot size.
- Six units on larger lots zoned for single-family or duplex use, particularly those located near transit stops with frequent service. While municipalities may opt to increase density, they cannot go below the density levels stipulated in the provincial legislation.
Streamlining Approvals: The legislation streamlines the local housing development approval process. This means that local planning and zoning processes are initiated at an earlier stage. Municipalities must expedite permitting by regularly updating community plans and zoning bylaws to meet housing needs.
Community Involvement: Under the new changes, one-off public hearings for rezoning housing projects are phased out. Instead, there are more frequent opportunities for community involvement. This transition aims to give the community a more significant role in shaping its neighborhoods during the early stages when official community plans are updated.
The Road Ahead
A Promising Future: Preliminary analysis suggests that over the next decade, BC could see the construction of over 130,000 new small-scale multi-unit homes. The legislation introduced in BC follows successful models implemented in other jurisdictions. Notably, Auckland, New Zealand, experienced positive outcomes when it introduced similar changes in 2016. These changes resulted in the creation of thousands of new homes over five years.
Supporting Implementation: The Province actively supports the implementation of these legislative changes by providing resources to local governments. Specifically, the Province allocates $51 million to help local governments comply with the new density zoning requirements. Additionally, $10 million is designated for the Local Government Development Approvals Program.
A Comprehensive Approach: Additional legislation is currently in development to further support housing delivery, transit-oriented development, and infrastructure enhancements. This collective effort forms part of the British Columbia Housing for People action plan. This plan aims to deliver housing efficiently and to create vibrant communities throughout the province.
Please contact Jared Gibbons, your local realtor, should you have any questions!