B.C.'s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and Transportation Minister Rob Fleming drew a standing-room-only crowd of more than 200 during a joint appearance at the 2024 Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention in Vancouver.
The size of the crowd likely reflected the high interest in the related issues of housing and transportation. Almost exactly a week ago, Kahlon and Fleming announced the purchase of land near a future SkyTrain station for housing and the duo continued to riff off each other as they fielded questions on a wide range of topics.
Among the things discussed: B.C.'s need to develop a rural approach toward housing; expansion of the speculation and vacancy tax; transportation deficits in smaller communities asked to increase housing density; residential fire safety; productivity challenges in the construction industry; and plans for rail service in B.C.
Kahlon signalled his openness to work with municipal leaders, when Mission Mayor Paul Horn asked him whether he would be reviewing the large body of housing legislation passed during the past 18 months.
"We have adjusting already quite a bit," Kahlon said. "So are we open to look at policies? You bet. But fundamentally, we need to find ways to get to 'Yes.' We need to find ways to get housing built."
Wednesday's session unfolded against the backdrop of new reports and proposals on housing from various experts and political parties.
The B.C. Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives called on B.C. to increase housing supply targets; up-zone land for non-market housing; limit rent hikes between tenancies; raise more money for public investments; discourage real estate speculation through property tax reform; and expand the fund designed to protect existing rental stock.
The think-thank also called for a "bold" province-wide plan to build 250,000 non-market units during the next decade. The report pointed to "a major gap" when it comes to public and non-market housing as "as existing programs are undersized relative to the housing affordability challenges facing low-to-middle-income households."
Meanwhile, Housing Central, an advocacy group representing the community housing sector called for 12,500 new affordable rental housing units each year for the next 10 years. Thom Armstrong, chief executive officer of the Co-operative Housing Federation of B.C., said these targets are achievable as part of a sustained effort.
"If the province committed $2 billlion-plus a year and the (federal government) matched that and the community housing sector came forward with its assets and land, then that would achieve those targets over a 10-year-period."
On Monday, B.C. Greens rolled out a housing plan calling for a $1.5 billion investment into a non-profit housing fund and the introduction of vacancy controls. Previewing the central argument of the CCPA report, Furstenau said B.C.'s high housing costs are undermining the provincial economy. Furstenau also echoed comments from CCPA and Armstrong when she questioned the ability of the private-sector to supply sufficient housing.
“We can’t ask for-profit developers to solve the housing crisis," she said. "We must use public land for public housing and maximize existing assets. We need real solutions, not profit-driven policies to dramatically ramp up the construction of non-market housing solutions that supplements the for-profit market housing."
So what's Armstrong's message to B.C.'s next government regardless of its political stripes?
"I'd say look at the progress we have made in the last five years and double down on that and keep that momentum going," he said.
He specifically singled out the new rental protection fund, which has "dramatically" altered the landscape of existing rental housing.
"So that fund has to be dramatically expanded," Armstrong said. "The Green announcement was welcome and it will sound bold (but) it's not nearly enough," he said.
These calls for more investment in housing unfold against the backdrop of a record-breaking $9 billion provincial deficit.
"I don't see it as a zero-sum game," Armstrong said. "Not investing in the housing we need is going to increase the deficit. By not spending what's needed on housing is a false saver, because you will see it in the cost of homelessness, the cost of social programs, the cost in the criminal justice system."
This point also resonated through in Tuesday's UBCM panel on the opioid crisis and its relation to public safety. Panel members broadly agreed with the need for more housing.
"As in most communities, we have a real lack of housing," Coun. Deb Haggard of Port Alberni said. "We just don't have enough beds for people that are suffering from mental health and addiction issues and as a result of our lack of housing, they are often preyed upon by slum landlords, so they are often living in very violent and toxic environments and this only compounds their health issues."
The subject of supportive housing also came up during Wednesday's panel and Kahlon drew perhaps the afternoon's biggest applause when he praised municipal leaders speaking out in favour of such projects.
"It's not easy an easy conversation to stand up in front of your community and say, 'we have a responsibility to help these people,'" Kahlon said. "They are our neighbours, our loved ones. It takes courage."
