The BC Ministry of Housing is not being fair in the way it has determined the City of Delta has not been good enough in meeting its housing target handed down by the province.
That’s the response from Mayor George Harvie to the province’s release last week of six-month progress updates from the first 10 priority communities selected for housing targets, which pointed out some are making good progress while others, including Delta, are not making as much progress as expected.
Harvie told the Optimist that relying on developers to complete approved projects quickly and then only counting the occupancy permits as a net new unit doesn’t accurately convey the story what his city has done to encourage more development.
He pointed out the ongoing streamlining for a faster approval process, which has resulted in over 100 reports not having to come to council, as well as the upcoming major update to the Official Community Plan (OCP), including the recent zoning amendments to allow small-scale housing units on single-family lots.
The city is doing its best and has many more units approved, but the development industry faces challenges including delays due to high interest rates, the carbon tax, construction costs and other problems, said Harvie.
He added he’s confident Delta can meet its housing target and their timelines are now one of the best in the Metro Vancouver area.
He then read a prepared statement, which, in part, noted, “I want to ensure the public and Delta residents that the city is doing everything it can to make it easier to get housing built. Over the same period, the province is reporting the city has issued 242 occupancy permits but 990 units were given third reading. The city cannot be held responsible for the developers’ decision to hold off construction due to prohibitive construction costs. The city has made significant progress but the challenges we face go beyond the city….I take issue with the province putting us on notice so early on as if we haven’t been actively making progress on getting housing built.”
Coun. Dylan Kruger said he is proud of the work that Delta council has done to reduce red tape and get new housing approved faster, but the changes will take time to be impactful.
“This is the first council to produce an updated Official Community Plan in close to 40 years. No council in Delta’s history has done more to streamline our application processes, legalize new forms of housing, and plan for new infrastructure to accommodate growth. We have laid a solid foundation, but there is much more work to be done,” said Kruger.
However, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon told the Optimist that while there are challenges, communities with housing targets that have been reported to making good progress, including the cities of Victoria and Port Moody, are meeting their goals using the same measure.
Noting high-rises and single-family homes aren’t enough when it comes to housing options, he also believes that while Delta approved a zoning amendment for small-scale housing on lots, they are far too restrictive compared to the province’s suggested guidelines.
“In some places, yes, some taller buildings are more appropriate, but we need to have more gentle density in our communities, and so I think one of the places Delta, if they want to address this in a serious way, is to look at the small-scale, multi-unit policy that they brought forward. I think it is the most prohibitive policy that’s been brought forward by any local government.
“I think that’s a missed opportunity because I think people, certainly people I’ve been talking to, in North Delta and other communities, they understand if a house reaches the end of its life and something needs to be built, most people can’t afford that single-family home. Having the ability to make it into a smaller unit will actually make it more viable for young families to be able to get into,” said Kahlon.
