The City of Kamloops will need to build 4,236 housing units within the next five years as the B.C. Government released the first set of housing targets for ten municipalities in an effort to chip away at the provincial housing crisis.
Kamloops was the only Interior community subject to these provincial housing targets under B.C.’s Housing Supply Act that was passed last year
The Province says the goal of these housing targets is to “[lay] the foundation for tens of thousands more homes to be built faster in areas with the greatest needs.”
Among the housing targets being announced are 28,900 units for Vancouver, 7,240 units for Abbotsford, 4,902 units for Victoria and 4,610 units for Saanich. Other communities include Delta at 3,607 units, North Vancouver at 2,838 units, Port Moody at 1,694 units, West Vancouver at 1,432 units, and Oak Bay at 664 units.
In a statement, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says the targets – if met – will mean a 38 per cent increase in the number of housing units that will be built in these communities “compared to what’s previously planned.”
“The housing crisis is hurting people, holding back our economy and impacting the services we all count on. We’re taking action and working with municipal partners to make sure more homes are built in communities with the greatest housing need,” Kahlon said.
“The targets include thousands of below-market rental units for the largest and fastest-growing communities. This means more people will be able find a home in the community they love.”
A majority of the units in Kamloops – 2,642 – will need to be either studio or one bedroom. Another 739 will need to be two bedroom units with the final 854 consisting of at least three bedrooms.
A total of 1,320 of the 2,227 rental units will need to be at below market rents for Kamloops, with the other 907 offered at market rent.
Photo via BC Government
The B.C. government says it will give municipalities the “resources to speed up approval processes” in an effort to help them meet their targets. Those resources include $10 million to continue implementing the Development Approvals Process Review, as well as an accelerated and streamlined permitting processes.
Kahlon said the housing crisis is so dire in British Columbia that the province is going ahead with its plans without guarantees of federal funding but added that Ottawa needs to “get into the game in a hurry” because the province “can’t wait much longer.”
“Every day, we’re waiting for Canada to make a decision,” Kahlon said.
“It’s having huge impacts on our communities. We have people living in encampments. We have people living in parks. We have people that are on the verge of losing their homes because of global inflation pressures.”
Kahlon says the province will assess the situations after six months – and every year thereafter – noting that an “independent person” may be brought in at municipalities that aren’t taking steps to meet these targets.
“I suspect from my conversations that I’ve had with all the mayors that are in the first 10 (municipalities) that all of them understand that everyone has to be part of the housing solution,” Kahlon said.
“I don’t expect that to be a challenge, but the legislation does give us the ability to step in, if needed.”
A second cohort of eight to 10 municipalities will be selected and notified later this year.
– With files from The Canadian Press
