Halfway through its first year, the province says its housing target program is a success, as the combined six-month housing totals from the first 10 communities to be given targets indicate more than 4,000 new homes have been built.
“We are, as a province, starting to see progress with record levels of housing starts in 2023 and we are on pace to meet or exceed that level in 2024,” said Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon. “We will continue to collaborate meaningfully with municipalities to encourage faster creation of homes so people can stay in the communities they love.”
Victoria was singled out as a city that eclipsed its target. Victoria reported the completion of 753 new housing units in the first six months of the program, exceeding its first-year target of 659. In that period, Victoria also issued 316 building permits and approved 1,628 homes for rezoning.
Victoria’s target is to build 4,902 new homes over the next five years.
Also singled out was Oak Bay, but for other reasons.
Oak Bay is the smallest of the first 10 communities on the list and was given a target of 56 net new housing units in the first six months and 664 units by 2028. The six-month progress report showed Oak Bay had added only seven new housing units.
Saanich was the only other Island community among the first 10 cities to be given targets and it, too, fell short in the first six months.
The district had 195 net new units completed in that time, and the province had hoped it would deliver 440 in the first year and 4,610 net new units within five years.
In a statement, the province said municipalities such as Oak Bay and West Vancouver, which have fallen far short of expectations, should expedite their processes and comply with the new requirements to ensure that housing is being built where it’s needed.
Esquimalt, which is in the second group of 10 priority communities and does not have to file its six-month progress report until the fall, says it is well ahead of the game.
In a release Wednesday, Esquimalt noted it currently has more than 1,000 units under construction. In addition, more than 800 units are going through rezoning and 1,000 through the development permit process.
The township was given a five-year housing target of 754 net new homes.
The province determines the progress of the municipalities based on the assessment of net new units, policy actions, initiatives, innovative approaches and partnerships designed to increase housing supply.
Municipalities that meet targets are expected to get provincial funding for amenities such as parks, bike lanes and recreation centres.
If communities don’t meet the targets, the province can appoint an independent adviser to help them make progress. If that doesn’t work, the province could overrule the municipality with the power to rezone entire neighbourhoods to create more density.
