The Town of Sidney announced it's met its first-year provincial housing quota with new residential units added between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Last year, B.C. issued a Housing Target Order for Sidney, mandating the completion of 468 new housing units by June 30, 2029, with a minimum requirement of 90 net new units in the first year.
According to a staff report presented to council on Monday, July 21, the town met this initial goal, issuing occupancy permits for 126 residential units while also accounting for the demolition of 36 units.
"I think with the information provided in the staff report and what council is aware of, I feel quite optimistic that we will meet our housing order target going forward," said Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith.
The mayor attributed this positive outlook to projects approved prior to the Housing Target Order, as well as ongoing developments and those currently under consideration by the council.
The town is currently reviewing building permit applications encompassing 230 new dwelling units and development permit applications for another 289 units.
Provincial housing targets
Sidney's inclusion in the second list of Housing Target Orders in June 2024, alongside Esquimalt and Central Saanich, highlights the Province's commitment to tackling the housing crisis across B.C.
These orders aim to encourage municipalities to streamline development processes and address zoning regulations to facilitate the construction of more housing.
While municipalities play a crucial role in enabling housing development through zoning and improved application processes, the ultimate success of meeting provincial housing targets, staff noted, relies on favourable market conditions and the willingness of property owners to invest in new construction.
This dynamic interplay between municipal policy and market forces underscores the complexity of addressing the housing shortage.
During Monday’s meeting, Coun.Richard Novek raised concerns about the potential consequences of failing to meet housing targets.
Alison Verhagen, director of development services, addressed this point by referencing Section 8 of the B.C. Housing Targets Report Form. "If the housing target has not been met for the reporting period, a summary of planned and future actions to get more dwelling units underway must be submitted," the form states.
Chief administrative officer Liam Edwards added that in extreme cases, the ministry may appoint a consultant to review municipal practices, policies and bylaws related to development approvals.
This intervention, seen in the case of Oak Bay, aims to identify potential barriers to development and provide recommendations for improvement.
Council has directed staff to make the full first-year report publicly available on the Town website and to submit it to the Province by August 15, 2025.
The Province's five-year housing target order is based on a comprehensive methodology designed to assess a community’s current and anticipated housing needs over both five-year and 20-year timeframes.
This data-driven approach aims to ensure that housing targets are aligned with the specific needs of each community, contributing to a more sustainable and equitable housing landscape across British Columbia.
