British Columbia Asserts Provincial Control Over Density

British Columbia won’t let local zoning laws get in the way of boosting density and increasing the province’s housing supply, according to an article by Justine Hunter in The Globe and Mail. “Premier David Eby said the ‘restrictive’ zoning approach by many communities is preventing the creation of small scale, multiunit homes that are needed to address the province’s housing crisis.”

The province plans to flesh out the plan fully in the next few months, but it will also “include incentives for homeowners to renovate their homes to add low-cost rental accommodation.” According to the 2018 Homes for B.C. Plan, the province plans to add 114,000 homes by 2027. “Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the legislation coming later this year will short-circuit zoning debates in communities by allowing up to four units on a traditional housing lot – with additional units in areas well served by transit.”

Signaling the province’s commitment to new housing, the provincial budget passed by B.C. earlier this year pledged $500 million to a new affordable housing fund and $4.2 billion to building new housing, among other housing programs.