Greater Victoria municipalities on the province's radar for more housing
Oak Bay, Saanich and Victoria have found themselves on a provincial list that aims to correct British Columbia’s ongoing housing crisis.
“Simply put, housing supply cannot keep up with the demand,” said Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon.
The province’s goal is to cut municipal red tape. “Our aim is to make it easier for municipalities to approve projects quickly,” said Kahlon.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with the province,” said Dean Murdock, the mayor of Saanich.
Murdock welcomes his municipality making the province’s list and says council and city staff are already working to streamline the approval process for more housing.
“Saanich is a large municipality that has a role to play in creating more homes for more people,” said Murdock.
Saanich, along with nine other municipalities in the province will now take the summer to work with ministry staff to set housing goals within their communities.
The province says it will then support municipalities in reaching those goals. What that support will look like is still unknown.
“I think for us, this is just a reinforcement of the direction that we’ve been going in for some time and that we want to continue,” said Marianne Alto, the mayor of Victoria.
Alto lobbied to be included on the province’s list as the capital city has done a lot of work recently to add much needed housing to the region.
“We’re certainly making progress,” said Mike Kozakowski, the founder of citified.ca, a real estate and housing blog.
Kozakowski has crunched the numbers and says there are currently around 5,000 units of purpose-built rentals under construction in the Capital Region.
Some municipalities are punching well above their weight in terms of building units.
Per capita, View Royal is leading the charge. Esquimalt is in second place with Langford coming in third.
“There are four municipalities with zero purpose-built rental housing currently under construction,” said Kozakowski.
Those being North Saanich, Metchosin, Highlands and Oak Bay--which just found itself on the province’s list.
“We have been very deliberate in terms of trying to move forward on housing projects,” said Barb Desjardins, the mayor of Esquimalt.
Esquimalt has recently approved 1,700 units of purpose-built rental housing within its borders, as well as condominiums and townhouse projects.
“So that across the spectrum there is the ability for people to fit in the market somehow,” said Desjardins.
For those who made the list, changes must be made, or the province says it will step in and compel the region to cut red tape and approve units of housing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.