Province of BC announces its long-awaited missing-middle housing legislation.
Media release:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023PREM0062-001706
Technical briefing:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Housing...ov_01_2023.pdf
Program webpage:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/h...g-initiatives#
Actual bill:
https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-...gress-of-bills
Highlights:
- 3 units/lot on lots <280 sq m
- 4 units/lot on lots >280 sq m
- 6 units/lot on lots "close" to "frequent transit" (includes bus)
- No parking requirements for 6-unit projects within 400 metres of "frequent transit"
- Elimination of public hearings on residential/mixed-use rezonings compliant with the Official Community Plan
- Statutory requirement for cities to follow a standard method in calculating housing demand on a 5-year basis, then updating their Official Community Plans and Zoning Bylaws (pre-zoning!) to create the necessary capacity for 20 years of projected growth.
There have been cities in Canada that have done things similar in scale recently, but nothing on the Provincial level. Follows similar measures in New Zealand, California, Washington state, etc. Transformative, whether you feel that's in a positive or negative way. I'm personally ecstatic about this, and while I think it's gonna have some challenges along the way, it'll ultimately not just help deal with the housing crisis but significantly help improve urban planning in our towns and cities.