The province has designated 10 municipalities that will be required to meet housing targets to ensure more affordable homes are built as quickly as possible.   

The goal is a ready supply of affordable missing middle, family-friendly, market and rental housing in the 10 municipalities.  

The municipalities were selected based on an index which took into account 10 factors including land availability, housing affordability, urgency of housing need, housing density, projected population growth, and unrealized potential for more homes, Housing Minister Ravi Khalon said at a press conference on May 31, 2023.   

The new Housing Supply Act gives the province the authority to set housing targets in municipalities, starting with those with the greatest need and highest projected growth.   

The 10 municipalities are required to address local barriers to construction so housing can get built faster, including updating zoning bylaws and streamlining local development approval processes.  

The selected municipalities are: 

• City of Vancouver 
• District of West Vancouver 
• District of North Vancouver 
• City of Delta 
• City of Port Moody 
• City of Abbotsford 
• City of Victoria 
• District of Oak Bay 
• District of Saanich 
• City of Kamloops  

During the summer, the province plans to consult with these municipalities and set the final housing targets.   

The province will then monitor progress and work with municipalities to help address any barriers.   

The province will also continue to help local governments speed up local approval processes through: 

• the ongoing development approvals process review (DAPR); and 
• accelerating and streamlining provincial permitting across multiple ministries and developing a new digital permitting process. 

Municipalities failing to meet targets will face provincial oversight, including: 

• meeting with an independent advisor to find the barriers and help make progress; and  
• being overruled by the province, which has the power to rezone neighbourhoods to create more density. 

Municipalities meeting targets will receive provincial funding for amenities including bike lanes, parks, and recreation centres. 

A second group of eight to 10 municipalities will be selected and notified in late 2023. 

On April 18, 2023, the province introduced legislation to deliver more homes faster in Vancouver by amending the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act. 

Premier David Eby then told municipalities he would implement legislation to speed approvals related to densifying neighbourhoods.  

• Read the government news release, Housing targets expected to deliver more homes faster, first communities selected.  
• Read the backgrounder on the index used to select the 10 municipalities.  
• Read the provincial permitting strategy and digital permitting strategy to build homes faster. 

If you have questions about the Housing Supply Act or related issues, contact Harriet Permut, director of Government Relations at hpermut@rebgv.org.