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Premier and Minister’s Message Delivering for people and meeting challenges head-on, so everyone in B.C. can have a good life, drives every action our government takes, every day. One of the biggest challenges for people in BC is finding an affordable home to live in. Soaring house prices and rents are pricing people out of the communities they love, the places they want to call home. For others, it has led to homelessness. Housing is a foundational problem, underpinning nearly every other challenge we face. We have made real progress over the past years to deliver housing for people in B.C., but the pandemic, inflation, and soaring housing prices around the world brought new complexities We’re taking strong action to meet this moment, tackle these challenges head-on, and deliver more homes for people, faster. So more people have a home they can afford that meets their needs. So seniors can live in dignity, young people can build a good life, students can afford to get a good education, and the people who work here, drive our economy, and deliver the services we all rely on, can afford to live here too. Focused on four priorities – speeding up delivery, increasing the supply of attainable small scale, multi unit housing, helping those who need it the most and fighting speculation and profiteering – the actions in Homes for People include: • • More than $4 billion over three years (Budget 2023) with a commitment to invest $12 billion over the next 10 years to build thousands of new homes. • • Delivering more middle-income small scale, multi unit housing that people can afford, including town homes, duplexes, and triplexes through zoning changes and proactive partnerships.
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• • Creating an annual income tested renter’s tax credit of up to $400 per year for renters. • • Offering forgivable loans for homeowners to build and rent secondary suites to increase affordable rental supply faster. • • Introducing a flipping tax to discourage short term speculation. • • Speeding up permitting to reduce costs and speed up approvals to get homes built faster. • • Providing more homes and supports for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Our Government’s $7 billion housing investment announced in 2018 and effective tools such as the Speculation and Vacancy Tax have already delivered more than 42,00 homes. Homes for People will do even to more make sure everyone in B.C. has a home they can afford that meets their needs, so people can build good lives and thrive. We’ve navigated a lot of challenges over the past few years, and we’ve made it through together. The actions in Homes for People will deliver more homes for people faster, and build a brighter future for everyone, in every community in B.C.
David Eby Premier
Ravi Kahlon Minister of Housing
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Underlying Challenges We Need to Fix, Now
We are engaging everyone who has a role in tackling the housing crisis, including local governments, home builders, and the non profit and private sectors, to address persistent underlying challenges that are preventing and slowing the delivery of the housing people need. Restrictive zoning, dating from municipal bylaws created decades or even a century ago, largely facilitated the creation of neighborhoods dominated by two types of structures: single family homes and large scale apartment buildings. This type of zoning restricts secondary suites and multi-family residences and creates rules about housing setbacks Development in our cities has produced primarily towering apartment buildings and expensive single family homes as a result, but
failed to supply enough of the small scale, multi-unit homes that add much needed supply and are more within reach for middle income families. Sometimes referred to as the missing middle, these homes and projects are generally built under quicker timelines, blend more seamlessly into neighborhoods, and work for people with growing families, pets, or who don’t want to live in an apartment complex Another significant supply challenge we need to address is slow and arduous permitting and approval processes for new homes and projects that are slowing down delivery, reducing the scale of projects, and driving up costs of the housing our communities desperately need.
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The Plan
Unlocking more homes, faster
MORE SMALL-SCALE, MULTI-UNIT TOWNHOMES, DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES
People want to build these homes, people want to live in these homes, and communities want to grow while retaining the character people love, but these outdated policies make that difficult, and in some places impossible That’s why we are acting to change this restrictive zoning approach and make it easier for people to build small scale, multi-unit homes. This fall, we will introduce legislation that will apply to many areas of the province and will allow up to 4 units on a traditional single-family detached lot (or 3 depending on the size/type of lot) with additional density permitted in areas well-served by transit.
Single-family detached homes are out of reach for many people, and 1- or 2-bedroom condos often don’t meet the needs of people and growing families. But many communities have been zoned over time to build primarily expensive single-detached homes and high-rise condo towers. Small scale multi-unit housing like townhouses, duplexes, triplexes and row-homes, that used to be more common in urban areas, are now in short supply, making the housing crisis worse.
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Small Scale, Multi-Unit Housing successes in other jurisdictions In New Zealand, five territories have integrated Medium Density Residential Standards into their district plans by setting a minimum density of 3 units per detached single-family residential lot. Rental price increases in Auckland have slowed compared to the rest of New Zealand since introducing this kind of zoning. The State of Oregon encourages missing middle development by requiring certain jurisdictions to allow for duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses and other small scale housing types in areas that previously allowed only detached single-family dwellings. All cities with a population over 10,000 must allow two dwelling units on detached single-family lots. The State of California also allows homeowners to create up to four homes on an existing parcel.
Over the coming months, we will work with municipalities and partners on this zoning change, taking into consideration the different types of lots, building setbacks, and height requirements. We’ll also work with local governments towards creating effective inclusionary zoning processes. Taking this step to move away from exclusively single-detached zoned neighbourhoods in many areas of the province enables the development of more homes in existing neighbourhoods. It also reduces costs and delays associated with the time-intensive re-zoning processes, and makes more efficient use of existing infrastructure, amenities, roads and services. It creates options for more people, including seniors, to downsize while staying in their neighbourhoods and offers more homes with outdoor spaces for pets, children and gardens. And it creates communities where more people can live and work closer together, helping to tackle the labour shortage in areas where people simply can’t find housing. This means more people to work in local coffee shops, restaurants, schools, hospitals, stores, daycares and care homes.
MAKE IT EASIER AND MORE AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE TO RENT OUT SECONDARY/ BAsem*nT SUITES There are still places in B.C. that do not allow a person to rent out a secondary suite in their home. In a housing crisis, this needs to change quickly. Starting later this year, legislation will be introduced to make secondary suites allowed in every community across the province. We also know that some people want to do their part and help with the housing crisis but need financial support to turn a portion of their home or property into a suite for the long-term rental market. To support this, the Province is introducing a pilot, three-year financial incentive program. Beginning in early 2024, homeowners will be able to access a forgivable loan of 50% of the cost of renovations, up to a maximum of $40,000 over five years. Over time, the loan can be forgiven if the homeowner meets all conditions laid out in the program, including renting their unit out at below market rates for a minimum of five years. The pilot program is expected to be open to at least 3,000 homeowners for the first three years and will quickly help create new rental housing units within the existing housing supply, for much less than the cost to build a large-scale, multi-unit housing development.
WORK WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE SURE MORE HOMES ARE BUILT IN COMMUNITIES, FASTER In order to take effective action on housing solutions, we need everyone working together and doing their part to provide homes for people. Through the Housing Supply Act , we are working with our municipal partners to speed up housing developments and increase supply in the fastest growing communities and places with the greatest need. This makes sure the right type of housing is built in the right communities This legislation, brought in the Fall of 2022, will enable us to set targets and support engagement with fast-growing and larger municipalities to hit and exceed those targets. By mid-2023, housing targets will be established in approximately eight to ten municipalities with the greatest need and highest projected growth and will build on existing requirements for local governments to create Housing Needs Reports that identify housing demands and supply factors. Through this legislation, we will deliver more homes for people, and make sure our largest and fast growing communities are places where people can work and live.
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SPEED UP PERMITTING AND APPROVALS TO GET HOMES BUILT FASTER We are asking our municipal partners to build faster and approve housing developments more quickly, but the Province also has a big role to play in this. We need to do everything we can to remove obstacles, reduce costs, red-tape and backlogs, and speed up approvals so more homes can be built. Through this plan, government is taking action to speed-up provincial permitting, creating a one-stop shop for home builders. In 2023, a newly dedicated single window application process will be launched for all housing related permits overseen by the province. This will speed up the process and eliminate the need for multiple applications across ministries. The new, one-stop permitting model will focus on prioritizing housing projects that we need built urgently, such as Indigenous-led projects, BC Housing applications and multiple-unit developments. These improvements in provincial permitting will complement reduced timelines for local government’s housing approvals identified by the Development Approvals Process Review. Working with local governments, we’ll accelerate implementation of these initiatives and bring in the changes needed to reduce delays in approving housing projects.
BECOME NORTH AMERICAN LEADER IN DIGITAL PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION We use computers and technology for almost everything now because it’s more efficient. So why do most jurisdictions still rely on stacks and stacks of permitting paper to approve a housing project? Countries like Singapore and Finland have streamlined their permitting processes through digital technology, allowing for more rapid collaboration. The end result is housing projects can be approved more efficiently. This has helped these jurisdictions get construction off the ground faster and improved collaboration across the construction sector. Using tools like automatic code compliance checks which through automation will create more efficiency and certainty in the permitting process, helping to reduce time and costs for everyone. The Province will work with partners at all levels of government and leaders in the housing sector to spur innovation through the rapid implementation of digitized construction codes and digital design and permit processes. This will support our construction industry and make B.C. a leader in the the digital permitting process.
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DELIVER MORE HOMES AND SERVICES NEAR TRANSIT Making it easier for people to find a home they can afford near transit makes sense. When we focus on active transportation near homes, we are making it more convenient for residents to get to work, school or errands, while helping families reduce their vehicle dependency and costs and supporting our province’s CleanBC goals. Through Budget 2023, we are providing $394 million as an initial investment to help deliver up to 10,000 units at or near transit over the next 10-15 years. This initiative will focus on accessing land that is suitable to be acquired near transit hubs and transforming this land into thriving communities.
LAUNCH BC BUILDS – A NEW PROGRAM DEDICATED TO DELIVERING MORE MIDDLE INCOME HOMES Working in partnership, BC Builds will bring together public lands, low-cost financing, faster provincial and local government approvals, and innovative tools to help more households with middle incomes find a home that fits their needs. Our work on housing has engaged many partners over the past five years, including Indigenous partners, local governments, non-profit housing providers, home builders, and more. BC Builds will continue these efforts and help identify opportunities, establish partnerships and facilitate action to build more homes, more quickly for middle-income households across the province. EXPAND B.C.’S CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE AND SPUR INNOVATION Many of B.C.’s skilled tradespeople are near or at retirement age, and while investments in post-secondary and skills training have brought thousands of new skilled labourers into the workforce, we know the looming labour shortage must be addressed to meet our housing targets and build the homes people need. Through government’s Future Ready Plan, to be released later this spring, we will connect more people to the relevant skills and training they need to quickly find and advance their careers in the construction sector Fostering innovation within the construction sector is also a key component to our plan to build more, with less. This means embracing new technologies, such as digital permitting, mass timber to reduce carbon emissions, and prefabrication to cut down construction time and on-site labour needs.
END DISCRIMINATORY AGE AND RENTAL RESTRICTIONS IN STRATAS
PROTECT AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOMES THROUGH $500 MILLION FUND Speculators and large corporations, including Real Estate Investment Trusts, are buying up rental buildings throughout North America, including in B.C. – and often, they redevelop the properties, evict tenants and either dramatically increase rents or flip the units Either way, tenants are out on the street or their rent significantly increases, and our province loses precious affordable rental housing. The Rental Protection Fund, announced in January, helps to counter that. This $500 million fund will provide grants to non-profit housing organizations to buy residential rental buildings and co-ops, protecting the tenants who live there and keeping rents affordable. The fund will be administered by a third-party agency, the Rental Protection Fund Society, made up of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, Co-operative Housing Federation B.C. and the Aboriginal Housing Management Association. It will protect thousands of rental units – and the tenants who live in them – across the province.
It’s not right to make people move because they want to start a family, especially during a housing crisis. Through amendments to the Strata Property Act Legislation, we are making it illegal in B.C. to deny people housing, or evict someone from strata titled housing because they have, or will be having, a child. To make sure seniors can still find suitable places to live, 55+ bylaws are still permitted, with reasonable exemptions for live-in caregivers and changes in family status, but buildings converting to 55+ will not be able to displace younger residents. In addition, through further amendments to the Strata Property Act, it is now illegal to ban renters from all stratas, helping to turn thousands of vacant condos and townhouses into homes for people.
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