CADREB to Meet with Provincial MLA’s at GL Days

Purpose of GL Days:

• BC REALTORS® learn about pertinent government relations issues

• BC REALTORS® meet with local MLAs to advocate for better provincial housing policy

Improving housing supply requires a coordinated effort between different levels of government, market housing stakeholders, and non-market housing stakeholders. Lack of a permanent, holistic, coordinated approach to housing attainability has produced unintended negative consequences. Example: Bill 44 – Building and Strata Statutes Amendment Act

Much sectoral policy expertise outside of government is inadequately consulted.

Recommendations:

1. Create a Permanent Housing Roundtable

The Purpose: engage British Columbian housing stakeholders and build upon previously effective sectoral consultation.

The Focus: implement the “Development Approvals Process Review” and the “Canada-British Columbia Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability” recommendations.

2. Apply Zoning Legislation Across the Province

Province-wide application of as-of-right Missing Middle Housing zoning will avoid unintended consequences such as speculative “land lift.”

Housing unattainability is a crisis across the province, and it is important that policies to provide more attainable homes are considered province-wide.

Single-detached homes are the most expensive type of housing and are out of reach for many British Columbians. Single-detached zoning currently makes up 60 – 75 per cent of residential zoning designations in BC. Being able to build four to six units (missing middle housing – MMH) on a lot divides the land cost by the number of units. MMH can be built quickly and by small contractors, using less complex construction techniques. MMH will allow young families to move into neighbourhoods experiencing population stagnation.