CANADA, May 22 - Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, has released the following statement regarding advisor reports on housing progress in Oak Bay and West Vancouver:
“Every community and every local government has a role to play as we work together to solve the housing crisis, and make sure that our children and grandchildren can build a good life in B.C. in homes they can afford.
“That’s why we have been working closely with municipal councils throughout the province to set housing targets that will strengthen communities for the people who live in them for generations to come.
“I’ve been encouraged by the work of the majority of councils and the positive changes they have made, which are allowing them to meet or exceed their targets. The housing targets program is working, with more than 16,000 net new homes created in the 30 communities that have housing targets since this work started.
“In other communities, there is more work to do. Earlier this year, I appointed advisors to review a lack of progress toward issued housing targets in the districts of Oak Bay and West Vancouver. The advisors conducted a two-month review assessing each district’s steps to increasing housing supply, including development approval processes, land-use planning, and housing policies and practices.
“I have now received and reviewed the advisors’ reports, which have identified recommendations for how these councils can act to streamline processes and deliver homes for people in their communities. I have sent a letter to each district outlining the advisors’ recommendations.
“In addition, I have notified the councils that I intend to issue the following directives as permitted under the Housing Supply Act, which provides both councils 30 days to submit written comments regarding the directives before they are issued:
“For Oak Bay, the district must:
- amend its Development Application Procedures bylaw to delegate minor variances to municipal staff by Jan. 31, 2026, which is consistent with past municipal staff reports and is a practice used in many other jurisdictions; and
- amend its Parking Facilities bylaw to better align multi-unit residential parking requirements with best practices, to a minimum of one parking stall per unit where the bylaw currently requires a minimum of more than one parking stall per unit, by Jan. 31, 2026.
“Further, I agree with the advisor’s conclusion that there is no requirement to pursue residential development in Carnarvon Park. In terms of alternative options, I will not be making a directive to pursue specific alternate sites for residential development. I do encourage Oak Bay council to consider these proposed options for their potential to provide much-needed housing, while keeping in mind environmental and other considerations related to these sites.
“For West Vancouver, the district must:
- by Dec. 31, 2026, amend its Official Community Plan and zoning bylaws to create a local area plan for the Park Royal-Taylor Way area, with additional, sufficient density to support its housing target order. The plan should enable housing that aligns with best practices for transit-adjacent housing as set out for transit-oriented development areas (TOAs) in the province; and
- by Sept. 30, 2026, amend its Official Community Plan Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw to modify Local Area Plans to increase density in Ambleside and Dundarave Village.
“Furthermore, I encourage both districts to review all of the remaining advisor-report recommendations and provide required updates on future progress towards those recommendations.
“Let me be clear: This is not about punishing communities or removing authority from locally elected municipal councils.
“The goal of local housing targets is centred around working with municipalities to remove unnecessary barriers to affordability and get more homes built for people faster, and ensuring we are building healthy and economically vibrant neighbourhoods for people.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the leaders of all communities to keep making progress, together.”
Quick Facts:
- West Vancouver delivered 58 of its 220 net-new units Year 1 housing target.
- Oak Bay delivered 16 of its 56 net-new units Year 1 housing target.
Learn More:
To view the Provincial Advisor Report and Recommendations for the District of Oak Bay, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/OakBayAdvisorsReport.pdf
To view Kahlon’s letter to the District of Oak Bay, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/OakBayLetter.pdf
To view Kahlon’s notice to the District of Oak Bay about the appointment of an advisor, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/OakBayNoticeLetter.pdf
To view the provincial advisor report and recommendations for the District of West Vancouver, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/WestVancouverAdvisorsReport.pdf
To view Kahlon’s letter to the District of West Vancouver, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/WestVancouverLetter.pdf
To view Kahlon’s notice to the District of West Vancouver about the appointment of an advisor, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/WestVancouverNoticeLetter.pdf (can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com)
Note: Portions of the reports have been redacted to meet requirements under Section 10 (3) of the act and Division 2 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
