Housing

The B.C. government is hopeful a new online hub will help speed and streamline the building permit process and accelerate the contruction of new homes. (Pixabay photo)

Online B.C. ‘one-stop shop’ for permits expected to accelerate construction

12 municipalities and 2 First Nations participating in initial rollout of ‘unique’ system

 

Rental Protection Fund CEO Katie Maslechko (from left) speaks Tuesday (May 21) as Vernon becomes the first community in B.C.’s Interior to receive funding through the provincial Rental Protection Fund. Looking on are Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu, Julia Payson, executive director of Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon and District Branch, Margaret Clark, head of CMHA Vernon’s restorative justice program and B.C.’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon. (Roger Knox/Vernon Morning Star)

B.C. government announces next purchase with rental protection fund

Rental Protection Fund CEO Katie Maslechko calls loss of affordable rentals a province-wide problem

 

Ravi Kahlon in Langley in April to speak about short term rentals. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

No need for new Brookswood plans: Housing Minister

Kahlon says no more major changes on housing in near future

 

Construction workers with lifts at the site of the 330-unit Inspire condominium development in downtown Maple Ridge. New figures from Statistics Canada show the value of residential building permits in B.C. dropped by 12.2 per cent in March 2024 compared to February 2024. Compared to March 2023, the value of residential permits dropped by 14.3 per cent. (Neil Corbett/The News)

B.C.’s housing permit drop ‘not encouraging,’ says expert

Volume and value down as municipalities are struggling to meet provincially set housing targets

Construction workers with lifts at the site of the 330-unit Inspire condominium development in downtown Maple Ridge. New figures from Statistics Canada show the value of residential building permits in B.C. dropped by 12.2 per cent in March 2024 compared to February 2024. Compared to March 2023, the value of residential permits dropped by 14.3 per cent. (Neil Corbett/The News)
Victoria completed more housing units in the past six-months than it needed to in year-one of a five-year provincial housing target timeline, but other three other municipalities have fallen short. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Missed housing goals proving the need for legislation: B.C. minister

3 out of 4 B.C. municipalities subject to new housing targets failed to meet their goals

Victoria completed more housing units in the past six-months than it needed to in year-one of a five-year provincial housing target timeline, but other three other municipalities have fallen short. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
British Columbians took out the least new mortgages in 2023, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s latest survey of mortgage holders. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

B.C. residents paying more for mortgages while taking out fewer of them

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Equifax Canada reports find B.C. residents struggling

British Columbians took out the least new mortgages in 2023, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s latest survey of mortgage holders. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)
B.C. has the country’s highest rate of adults co-owning a home with their parents – and immigrant parents are more likely to co-own properties with their adult children, a new report from Statistics Canada showed (Pixabay)

Adults more likely to co-own homes with their parents in B.C. than elsewhere

Co-ownership also more likely among immigrant families, Statistics Canada says

B.C. has the country’s highest rate of adults co-owning a home with their parents – and immigrant parents are more likely to co-own properties with their adult children, a new report from Statistics Canada showed (Pixabay)
Government is promising better protection for owners of mobile homes in manufactured home parks like this one in Lac La Hache through changes to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act. The changes come six years after a task force had first recommended them. (Google image)

B.C. adopting recommended mobile home-owner protections, 6 years later

Changes to regulations of Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act promise to curb evictions

Government is promising better protection for owners of mobile homes in manufactured home parks like this one in Lac La Hache through changes to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act. The changes come six years after a task force had first recommended them. (Google image)
Angela Mason of Amala Vacation Rental Solutions Ltd. located in Victoria fears new short-term rental regulations will have a negative impact on tourism in Greater Victoria, may be not immediately, but next summer, when tourists stop coming to Victoria in the absence of affordable accommodations. (Mark Page/News Staff)

New short-term rental rules will hurt tourism: B.C. business owner

New provincial rules restricting short-term rentals to principal residence now in effect

Angela Mason of Amala Vacation Rental Solutions Ltd. located in Victoria fears new short-term rental regulations will have a negative impact on tourism in Greater Victoria, may be not immediately, but next summer, when tourists stop coming to Victoria in the absence of affordable accommodations. (Mark Page/News Staff)
New housing starts are expected to slow down in Greater Vancouver, Greater Victoria in 2024 before rebounding in 2025, 2026, according to a new report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

B.C. homebuilding going to drop off before rebounding next year: CMHC

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation also expects vacancies to remain low and rents high

New housing starts are expected to slow down in Greater Vancouver, Greater Victoria in 2024 before rebounding in 2025, 2026, according to a new report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon listens as Premier David Eby Monday (April 29) announces eight new B.C. Builds sites across B.C. including three in the Township of Langley. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance-Times)

B.C. announces 8 new Build B.C. housing sites across the province

Sites awaiting affordable housing development located across B.C. including Kelowna and Kamloops

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon listens as Premier David Eby Monday (April 29) announces eight new B.C. Builds sites across B.C. including three in the Township of Langley. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance-Times)
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country’s smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right. An aerial view of houses in Oshawa, Ont., is shown on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit

Housing advocate urged every province to adopt legislation recognizing housing as a human right

As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country’s smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right. An aerial view of houses in Oshawa, Ont., is shown on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
Surrey, which has significant growth in recent years around but not just transit hubs like the King George Skytrain station, finds itself among 20 communities targeted for additional housing. Other notable communities on the list include Nanaimo, Kelowna and Prince George.(Photo: translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure)

Surrey, Kelowna, Prince George added to B.C.’s housing target hit list

Multiple communities in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island are also on list

Surrey, which has significant growth in recent years around but not just transit hubs like the King George Skytrain station, finds itself among 20 communities targeted for additional housing. Other notable communities on the list include Nanaimo, Kelowna and Prince George.(Photo: translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure)
Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speak in Langley on Thursday, April 18, 2024, to discuss incoming short-term rental rules. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

As short-term rental rules loom, B.C. communities opting in and out

B.C. Premier, Housing Minister issue reminder about new rules designed to create more rental housing

Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speak in Langley on Thursday, April 18, 2024, to discuss incoming short-term rental rules. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
The Canada Post logo is seen on the outside the company’s Pacific Processing Centre in Richmond, B.C. on Thursday June 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada wants to turn post office properties into housing, here’s how

Military defence properties are another asset the feds are looking to leverage

The Canada Post logo is seen on the outside the company’s Pacific Processing Centre in Richmond, B.C. on Thursday June 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
New building is a focus of the 2024 federal budget, which announced plans to tap unused federal land to provide sites for new homes. (Photo by Morf Morford)

Budget 2024: Unused defence and Canada Post land tapped for housing

Stated goal is to create a supply of 3.87 million new homes by 2031

New building is a focus of the 2024 federal budget, which announced plans to tap unused federal land to provide sites for new homes. (Photo by Morf Morford)
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside making an announcement on complex care housing in Kelowna on April 15, 2024. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

240 new complex care units to be built across B.C.

20 of the units will be built on Pacific Ave in Kelowna

  • Apr 15, 2024
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside making an announcement on complex care housing in Kelowna on April 15, 2024. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)
Real estate sales in B.C. dropped by 9.5 per cent in March 2024 compared to March 2023, according to new figures from the British Columbia Real Estate Association. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler)

B.C. homebuyers waiting on Bank of Canada to drop rates: economist

New figures show home sales in March 2024 dropped by 9.5 per cent compared to March 2023.

Real estate sales in B.C. dropped by 9.5 per cent in March 2024 compared to March 2023, according to new figures from the British Columbia Real Estate Association. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler)
Angela Mason of Amala Vacation Rental Solutions Ltd. in the ‘Air Lobby’ storefront her business operates on Pandora Avenue. Amala may not be able to continue most of its operations when the new short-term rental regulations come into force. (Mark Page/News Staff)

Victoria business petitions to stop B.C.’s incoming short-term rental law

New regulations would effectively end the businesses ability to operate

  • Apr 14, 2024
Angela Mason of Amala Vacation Rental Solutions Ltd. in the ‘Air Lobby’ storefront her business operates on Pandora Avenue. Amala may not be able to continue most of its operations when the new short-term rental regulations come into force. (Mark Page/News Staff)
An employee works on a modular home component at NRB Modular Solutions in Calgary, Friday, April 5, 2024. The Canadian government will allow 30-year amortization periods on insured mortgages for first-time homebuyers purchasing newly built homes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

First-time buyers can soon get 30-year mortage amortizations: Freeland

Liberals say change will be announced in next week’s budget, come into effect later this summer

An employee works on a modular home component at NRB Modular Solutions in Calgary, Friday, April 5, 2024. The Canadian government will allow 30-year amortization periods on insured mortgages for first-time homebuyers purchasing newly built homes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh