B.C. to set housing goals for 10 major communities under new housing act
The B.C. government will set housing targets for 10 major communities on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland in an effort to combat the province's housing shortage.
The 10 communities, centred around Greater Victoria and Metro Vancouver, were chosen using an "empirical index" that was created by the province while working with economists and housing experts.
"The index relies on measures that prioritize the urgency of local housing needs, the availability of the right housing supply – including land availability and unrealized potential for more homes, and housing affordability," said the province in a release Wednesday.
The 10 communities selected by the province are:
- City of Abbotsford
- City of Delta
- City of Kamloops
- District North Vancouver
- District of Oak Bay
- City of Port Moody
- District of Saanich
- City of Vancouver
- City of Victoria
- District of West Vancouver
The province says it's still working on exact housing targets for each community, and will work with the selected municipalities to set the final housing goals.
Once the targets are chosen over the summer, the province says it will support the municipalities in reaching their goals.
Only as a last resort will the province compel municipalities, through directives or orders, to reach their housing targets, under the NDP government's new Housing Supply Act, which was introduced earlier this year.
"The housing challenges we see today aren't just limited to one municipality, they impact our region and province as a whole," said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim in a statement Wednesday.
"It's great to see the provincial government taking an increased leadership role in ensuring the delivery of more housing across the province," he said.
"In the last six months, Vancouver has made significant headway in breaking down longstanding barriers to housing approval and construction. We hope our progress can inspire other communities across British Columbia to take bold action on housing."
The province says it plans to select a second cohort of eight to 10 municipalities for another round of housing targets in late 2023.
"The announcement today ensures that housing supply gets approved quickly in communities where we need it most," said Jill Atkey, CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association.
"What’s more, it goes beyond supply by considering local incomes and setting targets for affordable housing and couldn’t come at a more critical time," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.