BURSTControversial legislation allowing for more multi-unit housing is being primarily seen as welcome news by developers, as the province attempts to remove red tape and build more “missing middle” housing.
Following the passing of Bill 44 in 2023, Greater Victoria residents witnessed a plethora of new housing projects throughout the region after municipalities were required to allow more small-scale multi-unit housing on lots that were once zoned to only allow for single-family homes.
According to the City of Victoria website, in early-2023 “missing-middle housing” accounted for five per cent of new home construction, with apartments, condos and detached houses making up the other 95 per cent.
“The neighbourhoods and the neighbours are just now starting to understand what this bill means for their communities, and not everyone is happy, right? But not everyone is unhappy either. So it’s an interesting mix that we are experiencing,” said Xeniya Vins, architect and co-founder of Xquimalt Developments, a small development firm with a focus on small-scale multi-unit housing in Esquimalt and Victoria.
Vins, who also sits on the Saanich Advisory Design Panel, acknowledged that Bill 44 was a “very robust, aggressive bill” that is materially changing the landscape of local development. As a developer who mainly works on smaller-scale housing, she said in the midst of a housing crisis, building small-scale multi-unit homes is a happy middle between those who are for, or opposed to more development.
“I don’t accept the premise that we should oppose three-storey buildings with everything we have. I think if we choose to live in the inner city, if we want walkability, proximity to services, and so on and so forth, then we have to bring this gentle density into our communities,” she said. “I think missing-middle projects are perfectly capable of achieving that, creating communities that are no worse than single-family home communities.”
Building off of Bill 44, Nanaimo-Lantzville MLA George Anderson’s private member’s bill is making its way through the B.C. Legislature.
Bill M216, or the Professional Reliance Act, would require local governments to accept any development submission certified by a registered professional hired by the developers, instead of relying on their own technical review processes.
“Let’s trust people who are trained, certified, and insured and regulated to do this work,” said Anderson in a social media post.
“The most expensive material in construction right now is delay, and every month and year of delay are costs that are passed on to renters and prospective home buyers.”
Anderson’s bill has been met with mixed reviews, similar to concerns officials had with Bill 44.
“While framed as a measure to improve efficiency within development approvals, this bill removes municipal authority and oversight without public demand, municipal request, or evidence demonstrating that such governance restructuring is necessary or beneficial,” noted a letter from View Royal Mayor Sid Tobias.
In Tobias’ letter, he laid out a number of concerns with the bill, namely that municipalities would still be legally and financially responsible for many services; that one professional cannot be capable of performing the same functions of a full team of planners, engineers and analysts; it conflicts with the community charter; it failed to consult with B.C. municipalities, and it is in alignment with lobby-supported legislative direction.
“This pattern demonstrates not only a lack of consultation but the removal of the opportunity for consultation. Bypassing the formal system designed to give municipalities a voice is, in effect, bypassing municipalities themselves,” said Tobias.
Although she understands there are risks involved with the bill, Vins is optimistic that it will remove red tape and speed up the process of building more small-scale projects.
“I don’t see that this will bring this huge wave of horrible developments or anything like that, especially considering that these missing-middle projects are usually done by smaller developers. So just by default they’re paying more attention,” she said.
“If it passes, it’ll be revolutionary. Just for these small developers. It’ll be a huge, huge step that I would welcome personally,” said Vins.
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Email: bailey.seymour@vicnews.ca