Vaughn Palmer: The NDP may still have to get tough with municipalities on housing

Article content

VICTORIA – BC communities would be remodeled down to the neighborhood level under the ambitious NDP climate plan, with higher density, fewer single-family homes, and more reliance on public transportation, biking, and walking.

Article content

“This is a transformation of how we live,” as Environment Minister George Heyman put it after this week’s launch of the second phase of the Clean BC Plan.

“As we design communities and transportation together, we are building compact communities that are well served by public transportation, well served by bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and that have places of business close to where people work, as well as places to shop. and good recreational opportunities. “

“It’s not going to happen overnight,” Heyman admitted during an interview with Gregor Craigie on CBC’s On the Island, “but we have plans that would take us to 2030 and beyond.”

One of the objectives of the plan calls for “a 25% reduction in the kilometers traveled by vehicles by 2030, in relation to 2020.”

Article content

Another aims to “increase travel on foot, by bike or in transit to 30% by 2030, 40% by 2040 and 50% by 2050.”

But for this to be feasible, people would have to live closer to places of work, recreation, shopping, schools, and other amenities.

They would also have to live, yes, closer to each other.

“The goal is to integrate future transportation investments with local and regional development plans, supporting the fluid movement of people and goods, enabling commerce, preparing for future growth, and encouraging the development of connected, diverse, affordable, and resilient communities that provide the amenities, housing and quality of life that people value, ”reads the plan, released Monday.

Article content

“Because better land use is essential for climate action, we will assess opportunities to strengthen the legislative framework of local government, working with municipalities, regional districts, indigenous communities and other key partners to identify where improvements may be necessary.”

The New Democrats took some steps in that direction Tuesday with legislation to lift some of the restrictions on local government by approving housing and other developments.

A change would eliminate the requirement that local governments hold public hearings on zoning changes for projects that are consistent with an existing community plan. Another would allow municipalities to delegate decisions on minor variation permits to staff. A third party would “modernize public notification requirements by allowing community choice in addition to existing methods of providing public notification.”

Article content

Introducing the legislation, Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne said the changes stemmed from consultations with the local government.

“By updating the public hearing and certain permitting requirements, we are giving local governments more tools to deliver the homes that communities need throughout BC,” Osborne said. “This is an important step in the work that all levels of government must do to meet the housing needs of the people in our communities.”

The changes dovetail with the NDP’s goal of improving housing affordability by increasing supply and accelerating the construction of rental and family-friendly units on a smaller lot.

The change will not be without controversy, as Dan Fumano of Postmedia noted Wednesday in an article titled “Prepare for heated debates.”

Article content

By watering down the requirement for public hearings, the New Democrats are eliminating an opportunity for forces often not in my backyard, or NIMBY.

However, these changes are only the first steps. They are well below what it will take to build “compact communities” with a combination of housing densities clustered around traffic lines, close to amenities and workplaces.

To date, the New Democrats have preferred to work in partnership with local governments, even if the results fall short of their goals of increasing housing density and affordability.

But lurking in the background are recommendations from a federal-provincial panel on housing supply and affordability, chaired by former NDP finance minister Joy MacPhail. He concluded that the province will have to take the lead in housing supply and affordability by controlling the power of local governments to delay projects and increase development costs.

Article content

“Many of the most important political levers related specifically to housing supply belong to local governments, which face significant barriers, especially political ones, that prevent them from making further progress towards more abundant housing supply,” the panel said in a final report published. in June.

“Therefore, we believe that it is incumbent upon the provincial government, which is ultimately responsible for local governments, to enact many of our most impactful recommendations (which) will have a significant positive impact on the affordability of housing in British Columbia, especially long-term”.

A call followed for provincial legislation to require municipalities to address an appropriate mix of housing needs “as minimum objectives from which to determine land use policies and decisions.”

Article content

Other intrusions into municipal jurisdiction would include provincially legislated time limits for the development process and less reliance on public hearings.

“Attempts by local governments to change zoning to allow for further housing development are politically contentious and often meet strong public opposition,” the panel concluded. “There are always groups of residents who speak out, particularly neighborhood associations, which can make it politically difficult for local governments to implement such changes.”

Hardline recommendations from the MacPhail panel are still under review, according to Housing Minister David Eby.

But if the new Democrats are serious about developing the compact communities envisioned in their climate plan, I suppose they will have to resort to legislative coercion sooner or later.

[email protected]