B.C. orders West Vancouver to implement plan to build more homes and meet its target

Tugboats escort the chemical tanker Zao Galaxy through the harbour with West Vancouver in the background on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The British Columbia government is stepping into local politics over its housing policies, forcing the District of West Vancouver to approve a plan that would allow for more homes to be built.

The Housing Ministry issued a statement Tuesday saying West Vancouver has only delivered 58 of the 220 new units in housing targets set for it by the provincial government.

The statement says the province has ordered the district to implement its Ambleside Centre Plan, bringing West Vancouver into compliance on its “overdue directives.”

West Vancouver was among the cities and municipalities put on a list to hit certain targets to ease the housing crisis, but the province says the district has failed to meet all three of its directives.

The provincial government’s order makes changes to West Vancouver’s bylaw so that the Ambleside Centre’s local area plan will move forward after it was created by district staff and supported with community engagement.

No one from the District of West Vancouver was immediately available to comment on the B.C. government’s directives.

The Housing Ministry says that in order to ensure it stays informed about the progress of the development, the province will require the district to provide updates to help keep it on track with the work.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2026.