Municipalities now able to implement provincial housing policies

Municipalities across B.C. will be able to implement provincial housing policies in an effort to allow new homes to be built quicker.

The B.C. NDP passed several housing bills in 2023, including restrictions on short-term rentals, providing high density housing close to public transportation hubs, loosening the building permit process, and allowing more density on single-family lots.

At the B.C. Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday, Dec. 7, Premier David Eby announced that municipalities can now take action on those policies.

“Today we’re issuing the guidance and the regulations for municipalities to actually be able to bring these rules to life,” Eby stated.

“It’s one thing to pass a law in the legislature, municipalities are like ‘This is so big. What do we do? What are the steps?’ Especially smaller municipalities. So today, very detailed guidance documents were released. It’s the fine print, but the fine print that enables the homes, and will assist municipalities in acting quickly to implement these changes.”

Evaluations from a team of economists and planning experts shows these policies could create between 216,000 and 293,000 new housing units in B.C. over the next decade.

B.C.’s premier stated these policies also build on other initiatives involving rental and student housing.

“We’ve committed to a further 8,000 units of student housing funded; the speculation and vacancy tax that makes sure that people who are buying multiple properties don’t leave them empty. We’ve had 30,000 people now claim exemption from this tax, which is actually a good thing because they’ve rented out their homes. That’s 30,000 previously empty homes that have now been rented out.

And housing starts, despite interest rates, despite all the pressures that we’re seeing, are up 12 per cent year-to-date in British Columbia,” Eby added.

“We know we’ve got more work to do, but we are going to make sure we are delivering on housing.”

To view a set of summary slides about the regulations and policy manuals, click here.