Victoria council approves 'missing middle' initiative
Victoria council approves 'missing middle' initiative
Victoria’s newest council has greenlit a contentious housing initiative that makes it easier to densify neighbourhoods, after a tumultuous and lengthy debate that’s gone on for years.
The "missing middle" housing policy has been approved in a 6-3 vote. It allows builders to construct multiplexes – such as townhomes and four-plexes – without having to rezone the lot.
"I think everybody recognizes that we need more density, we need more housing," said Coun. Chris Coleman, despite voting against it.
He’s concerned with the initiative treating all neighbourhoods the same and doesn’t think it does enough to address affordability.
"I’m sure we will construct new housing options, but I don’t think the rents will go down," said Coleman.
Aryze Developments used to work on projects of a similar scale, but says the long rezoning process made it difficult to build a business in Victoria. It’s moved on to higher density projects, but thinks there are others who will be interested – including co-ops and non-profits.
"Because the rezoning process is a huge barrier to people, to coming together, to want to do a co-op together," said owner Luke Mari.
"So with that out of the way, it’s much easier to secure funding for these smaller projects," he said.
An entrance to Victoria city hall is shown: (CTV News Vancouver Island)The rental advocate Together Against Poverty Society is hopeful the plan could lead to smaller scale, supportive and subsidized housing sites – and is encouraged about the diversity it should bring.
But, it’s also concerned about affordability in the region as prices increase.
"We would encourage municipal bylaws to work with provincial legislation to focus on vacancy control as a priority," said Antonia Mah.
The introduction of such a control would prevent landlords from hiking the rent for new tenants when another moves out.
The South Island Prosperity Partnership watches the regional economy, connecting with local businesses regularly. It says, amid the labour shortage, employers across all industries are asking for more housing to help recruit and retain staff.
"The ultimate goal from our perspective is to have a sustainable economy," said Dallas Gislason with SIPP.
"We need to be able to attract people to the region – younger people, we need health-care workers, we need doctors. Those people in all cases need somewhere to live and there’s just quite frankly not enough," he said.
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
A newly released survey finds nearly all Canadian adults had antibodies against COVID-19 for about half of 2022, with most acquiring them through a previous infection.
Gwyneth Paltrow's highly publicized ski collision trial is shining a spotlight on the unspoken rules that govern behaviour on the slopes. Testimony over the last six days has repeatedly touched on skier's etiquette -- especially sharing contact information after a collision, and ski turn radiuses -- in what experts have said is the most high-profile ski collision trial in recent history.
Another American community is reeling after a shooter killed three 9-year-olds and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville. These are the three children and three adults whose lives were taken by the shooter.
Nashville police have released security camera footage of a suspected shooter entering the private Christian elementary school. The shooting claimed the lives of three children, all aged nine, and three adults.
The mother of a five-year-old girl said her daughter was allegedly bullied so badly she was left with a partially amputated finger from an incident in the washroom.
A Quebec provincial police officer was fatally stabbed Monday night while performing an arrest in Louiseville, west of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The Surete du Quebec (SQ) has confirmed the identity of the officer, Sgt. Maureen Breau, who had been on the force for over 20 years. She was assigned to the post of the MRC de Maskinonge. Another officer was injured during the incident, but their life is not in danger.
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend's daughter nearly a decade ago, when the girl would have been just eight years old.
A small memorial has been set up outside a Starbucks in downtown Vancouver where a 37-year-old man was fatally stabbed in front of his wife and daughter Sunday.
Alberta's police watchdog has released more information about an incident at a Red Deer Walmart in which a man who had been reported missing in Calgary was shot by police.
Family and friends of two police officers who were shot and killed while responding to a family dispute gathered in downtown Edmonton Monday to say goodbye to their loved ones.
The 22-year-old accused of fatally stabbing a teenager at a Toronto subway station Saturday night has been wanted in Newfoundland for almost two years, CTV News Toronto has learned.
The mother of a five-year-old girl said her daughter was allegedly bullied so badly she was left with a partially amputated finger from an incident in the washroom.
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Rima Rifai thought her furnace had exploded Monday when the house across the street burst into a ball of fire, sending 10 people to hospital with serious injuries.
A high-tech farm near Cochrane, west of Calgary, is producing thousands of heads of lettuce, and other vegetables every week, even in the darkest and coldest days of winter.
Montreal police say they have identified two more victims found in the rubble of a fire in Old Montreal 12 days ago. Charlie Lacroix and Walid Belkahla, both 18, are the sixth and seventh victims of the fire.
A Quebec provincial police officer was fatally stabbed Monday night while performing an arrest in Louiseville, west of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The Surete du Quebec (SQ) has confirmed the identity of the officer, Sgt. Maureen Breau, who had been on the force for over 20 years. She was assigned to the post of the MRC de Maskinonge. Another officer was injured during the incident, but their life is not in danger.
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Almost three years after a man disguised as a Mountie started murdering people in Portapique, N.S., on the night of April 18, 2020, the senior RCMP officers and staff involved in the tragic case have all either retired or moved into new jobs.
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
New Brunswickers suffering from a mystery neurological disorder are calling for an investigation into potential environmental causes of the health problems they've been living with for more than two years.
Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said the city will more than likely continue to follow Health Canada guidelines when it comes to asbestos cement pipes (ACP) that carry drinking water to residents’ homes.
The Saskatchewan government is hoping to bolster critical mineral exploration after announcing a strategy Monday that aims to attract investment and double production by 2030.
Provincial police say a group of teenagers caused a train to make an emergency stop because they were lying on the tracks as the train approached in New Tecumseth.
The driver of a pickup truck, a 47-year-old woman, has died after a crash with a tanker on MR55 in the Greater Sudbury community of Lively on Tuesday morning, police say.
Nashville police have released security camera footage of a suspected shooter entering the private Christian elementary school. The shooting claimed the lives of three children, all aged nine, and three adults.
The mother of a five-year-old girl said her daughter was allegedly bullied so badly she was left with a partially amputated finger from an incident in the washroom.
An entrance to Victoria city hall is shown: (CTV News Vancouver Island)The rental advocate Together Against Poverty Society is hopeful the plan could lead to smaller scale, supportive and subsidized housing sites – and is encouraged about the diversity it should bring.
