The housing minister of British Columbia has announced the names of 10 cities and towns that must meet certain goals for building new homes. If they fail to meet these targets, the provincial government may step in and enforce higher-density development. The Housing Supply Act establishes these housing goals and uses both incentives and penalties to encourage compliance. Municipalities that achieve the targets will receive funding from the province for amenities like parks, bike lanes, and recreation centers. However, those that do not meet the targets face the possibility of the province overriding their decisions and rezoning entire neighborhoods to increase density.
During a press briefing in Vancouver, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon explained that the selection of the initial 10 municipalities was based on a weighted index that considered factors such as the urgent need for housing, projected population growth, available land, and housing affordability.
TIn B.C., we have some communities that have taken on growth … we have some communities that have hidden from growth, but that’s just not acceptable when you’re in a housing crisis.
from Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon
The 10 municipalities are:
- Abbotsford
- Delta
- Kamloops
- Port Moody
- Saanich
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- North Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- Oak Bay.
To read more go to https://vancouversun.com/
Photo by Connor Danylenko
