Coming before the SRD, discussion of provincial measures to address the housing crisis

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Three days after he was sworn in as Premier of British Columbia, David Eby unveiled a series of new laws designed to increase the pace of new construction, remove age restrictions in stratas (except for the +55 restriction that promotes seniors housing) and tap the supply of vacant dwellings for the rental market.

The BC Government press release did not mention vacant dwellings, such as the 253 empty homes on Cortes Island that were reported in the 2016 census.

It states, “Data from the Speculation and Vacancy Tax shows that in areas of BC covered by the tax, there were nearly 2,900 vacant units in strata buildings with rental restrictions in 2021 – the last year the exemption was available before it phased out. If passed, age and rental restrictions would be lifted immediately, and these empty units will be available to renters.”

One of the items of correspondence going before the Strathcona Regional District Board this afternoon, is the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) response.

While the UBCM share the provincial governments desire to address the housing crisis, they expressed a number of concerns.

How will housing targets be defined?
How will the targets reflect the long (often multi-year) time frame for delivery of housing following local government approvals?
Will the Minister hold a local government to a target if applications are refused because developers are not prepared to provide the amenities/services necessary for the development?
How will targets relate to current Official Community Plans, regional planning and growth management plans, including efforts to limit urban sprawl and address climate adaption and mitigation?

The UBCM pointed out, “This marks a significant shift away from the form of local democracy envisaged in the Community Charter in which municipal councils are seen as democratically elected, autonomous, responsible and accountable, established and continued by the will of the residents of their communities.”

The previous SRD Board expressed concerns out of the provincial governments failure to consult with them before making decisions about forestry policy, or in treaty negotiations such as that with the Klahoose First Nation. They also believed the Federal government should have consulted them before closing the Discovery Island fish farms.

The UBCM question whether the province will be able to deliver well-informed and timely decisions about housing.

“One of the factors that slow the approval of new housing is the lengthy timelines common for provincial environmental and other regulatory approvals.”

Two examples of what increased provincial government control could mean come from the Rainbow Ridge project on Cortes Island, which has been waiting for the Ministry of Transportation to approve its subdivision plan for over a year and has yet to receive a response on the water license they applied for 18 months ago.

The Union of BC Municipalities is calling for the province to have a meaningful discussion with municipalities and the UBCM to ensure the proposed legislation is both workable and effective.

The new SRD Board has not had time to consider these matters.

In the BC Government press release, it states that the first piece of Eby’s legislation, “The Housing Supply Act is scheduled to be brought into force in mid-2023. To support implementation, the Province will continue to help local governments speed up local approval processes through the continued implementation of the Development Approvals Process Review and work underway to accelerate provincial approvals.”