B.C. housing groups want government to start housing roundtable

Various housing groups call on the B.C. government to establish a permanent housing policy roundtable.

The groups, which include the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) and the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, among others, say the roundtable is needed to help create effective housing policy.

The groups say that the province’s push to build more homes has created “chaos” within communities.

The groups also include local politicians and developers who criticize a lack of consultation from the province, which could save money.

“We heard from private developers that if they were able to actually provide information to the government on some of the cost implications for their policy changes, that would help alleviate some of the increased costs that they would see as a result,” BCREA government relations manager Jasroop Gosal told 1130 NewsRadio.

Trevor Hargreaves, in policy research and advocacy at the real estate association, says Premier David Eby’s government “opened the floodgates with an avalanche of new legislation” to build more housing, but it has also created “a lot of chaos.”

B.C.’s legislation has set targets for numerous communities to build more homes and requires local governments to change zoning to allow for small-scale multi-unit housing on most lots that had been zoned for single-family homes.

The groups say that many of these recent housing policies have been implemented with limited consultation on their end.

They say the table would bring together key voices across the housing spectrum, from private and non-profit developers to municipalities, to create housing solutions that better reflect the needs of communities.

“This roundtable would consist of about 15 to 20 representatives from across the housing continuum,” Gosal said.

“Everybody who is involved in housing to come together to speak with and be consulted by the provincial government when they are identifying problems within the housing sector when they’re trying to tackle the crisis that is ongoing.”

Additionally, delegates at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention have also called for creating a permanent roundtable on provincial housing policy.