What was supposed to be transformative change in B.C.’s housing policy is starting to look more and more like the status quo. Bill 44 gave B.C.’s municipalities until June 30 update their bylaws to reflect new mandatory minimum densities and guarantees that multiplexes could be built on single-family lots.
With the deadline looming, we’ve seen ours and other councils take the strictest possible interpretation of the rules and widest application of loopholes to ensure that as little changes as possible.
Others, like West Vancouver council have straight up rejected the province’s orders.
Understandably, municipal council members see this as a major incursion into their jurisdiction over land-use decisions but, under Canada’s constitution, there is no question that provincial governments have primacy over municipal ones.
And the spirit of the law was to fundamentally change the model under which new housing gets approved in B.C., no longer being at the whims of councils that are a little too comfortable with the status quo.
Asked about his premier piece of legislation becoming gelded or openly defied in council chambers, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said “the province will be stepping in to make those changes” after June 30.
We don’t know what that will look like, especially as the NDP tries to balance its housing promises with its desire to win votes in the fast-approaching election.
What we do know is this: Canada’s population is growing rapidly – something that is not under the control of either the provincial or municipal governments – and we cannot shelter a growing population with the existing housing stock we have now.
And this turf war is not helping.
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