Kamloops posted Jun 26, 2024 @ 01:00pm by Cheyanna Lorraine

Kamloops has reached 45% of its 5-year housing target within 6 months

BC’s Ministry of Housing says six-month progress updates from the first 10 priority communities selected for housing targets show that more than 4,000 net new homes have been built.

In September 2023, the province set out housing targets for the first 10 communities based on 75% of each municipality’s estimated housing need, a release says.

Those cities included Abbotsford, Delta, Kamloops, North Vancouver, Oak Bay, Port Moody, Saanich, Vancouver, Victoria and West Vancouver.

The ministry says Victoria and Port Moody are showing “significant” progress while other communities are making good progress to meet their targets.

The province says Kamloops has created 45% of its 679-unit housing target since September.

BC is on pace to pass record levels of housing starts set last year.

Today, we provide an update on the first ten communities selected for 🏡 targets and the next round of targets.

Most communities are making good progress- a few need further action.

👉🏾 https://t.co/aGA3h292uF pic.twitter.com/th4de90CNO
— Ravi Kahlon (@KahlonRav) June 26, 2024

However, places like Delta, Okay Bay and West Vancouver are encouraged to expedite their processes.

Each of those communities will need to meet their housing targets within five years, however.

“The evaluation of progress included the assessment of net new units, policy actions, initiatives, innovative approaches and partnerships that municipalities put in place to create the conditions needed to increase housing supply,” says a release from the Ministry.

In addition, housing targets for the second set of priority communities announced in April 2024 have been determined. Each of these communities was prioritized because they “are in high-growth, high-need” regions, the province says.

That includes the following five-year targets:

Central Saanich – 588 units
Chilliwack – 4,594 units
City of North Vancouver – 3,320 units
Esquimalt – 754 units
Kelowna – 8,774 units
Maple Ridge – 3,954 units
Nanaimo – 4,703 units
Sidney – 468 units
Surrey – 27,256 units
White Rock – 1,067 units

A total of 55,478 homes are expected to be built by the second set of communities.

The Ministry of Housing says this represents a 41% increase in overall housing being built over what was projected based on “historical trends.”

“The Province will monitor progress and work with the municipalities to support them in achieving their targets,” the news release says.

“The targets for the third set of communities, also announced in April 2024, will be released this summer.”

The province says it has provided local government with the implementation of the housing targets and other initiatives through the $1 billion Growing Communities Fund and the $51 million grant funding to support things like updating zoning bylaws and making housing needs reports.

The Ministry of Housing says it is providing $10 million for the second intake of the Local Government Development Approvals Program to help identified communities meet their targets.