City of Chilliwack, District of Hope and the Fraser Valley Regional District are among 21 local governments granted extensions by the province to either amend zoning bylaws, or to complete infrastructure upgrades, as required by provincial housing mandates.
The extensions announced Sept. 12 will give cities and regional districts extra time to comply with rules, said Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, in a phone interview with the Chilliwack Progress.
The housing minister had a few minutes Tuesday to talk about the 21 extensions granted to communities across the province, as he was rolling up his sleeves to take no fewer than 47 meetings with municipal leaders during the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) Conference, Sept. 16-20.
B.C.'s local governments are at various stages of readiness in terms of amending zoning bylaws and other changes to comply with the province's Homes for People action plan to deliver more homes, faster across B.C., Kahlon said.
As of Sept. 16, more than 91 per cent of local governments, 172 of 188, had adopted the small-scale, multi-unit housing legislation by passing the required local bylaws for all areas where an extension was not requested.
City of Chilliwack applied for an extension, however and it was granted, allowing the city time to upgrade its infrastructure, specifically in a section of the 'Chilliwack Proper' neighbourhood, an area surrounding Hazel Park.
It means that Chilliwack now has until Dec. 31, 2030 to comply with requirements for small scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) legislation, instead of by the end of June 2024.
District of Hope also was given until the end of 2030 to come into compliance in their Silver Creek and East Kawkawa Lake neighbourhoods.
Kahlon said they hired an independent engineering firm to assess and decide on the extension requests, and the ones granted provided ample evidence.
Asked if the just released UBCM's 'Stretched to the Limit' report was a factor in granting the extensions, the minister replied: "No, not at all."
The 'Stretched to the Limit' report released Sept. 12 points to three areas causing a "trifecta of cost pressures" on cities. The report points to gaps in services and funding due to increased homelessness, preparing for new housing mandates, and new responsibilities for emergency management during flood and fire seasons.
Last year the province laid out new housing mandates with sweeping legislation requiring local governments to fix outdated zoning rules, and create capacity for more row homes, triplexes and townhouses, paving the way for more of these type of multi-unit housing options for people and families with middle incomes. These changes are meant to lead to housing options people are looking for, whether it's seniors looking to downsize, or young families searching for homes with outdoor spaces, the minister said.
Local governments were required to make changes to zoning bylaws by June 30, 2024, to allow: either a minimum of one secondary suite or detached accessory dwelling unit; a minimum of three to four dwelling units; or a minimum of six dwelling units near bus stops with frequent transit service, depending on location and population.
Seven requests for extensions were denied.
City of Chilliwack recently just kick-started its own official community plan (OCP) review, which is also part of the housing mandates. The OCP review will be underway in Chilliwack from now until 2025, with pop-up community events for the public, coming in October and November.