If a provincial bill passes, the District of Squamish may have more power over where and how rental housing projects are built.
It’s a proposal, which was announced on April 24, that Victoria believes will help remedy B.C.’s housing crisis.
Municipalities may soon have the authority to create rental project zones and ensure existing rental areas can’t be redeveloped for other use.
With a bill being proposed by the province, municipalities would have the ability to designate land as rental zoned.
The amount of rental housing that needs to be developed on that land will be at the discretion of the local government.
The province says those who want to redevelop rental buildings that are in rental-zoned areas must meet rental quotas on that land that were set by the municipality.
“Local governments are on the front lines of the housing crisis, so they’re well positioned to guide the right types of housing to meet the needs of their residents,” said Housing Minister Selina Robinson, in a news release.
“There is a shortage of rental homes in British Columbia. The steps we are taking today will both help local governments track the needs of their communities, and give them a powerful tool to deliver homes people can afford in the communities where they work, go to school and raise their families.”
Victoria also announced it will be proposing steps it believes will crack down on tax evasion on pre-sale condo assignments.
If these changes pass, the Real Estate Development Marketing Act will require real estate developers to collect and report information on pre-sale condo assignments to ensure people are paying the appropriate taxes when these contracts are assigned, the province says.
Developers must include terms in their contracts to inform buyers of the new collection and reporting requirements. The information will be reported to the provincial administrator designated under the Property Transfer Tax Act.
Finally, another set of changes to the Local Government Act and Vancouver Charter was introduced.
If approved by the legislature, Bill 18 will make it mandatory for local governments to conduct housing needs assessments that will assist with community planning.
