New Provincial Housing and Financial Regulations

Learn more about new provincial regulations to help deliver more affordable homes faster and provide key services, infrastructure, and amenities. 

In the fall of 2023, the Provincial Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Housing adopted new regulations that affect all municipalities in BC. These new laws are some of the most significant changes to the Local Government Act in decades. 

The City is currently working to review the new regulations and will update this page when new information is available. To learn more, visit the provincial website for local government housing initiatives. 

Overview

The following provides an overview of the regulations, helpful resources, and the City's next steps.

Bill 44: Residential Development 

The purpose of this bill is to try to make it easier and quicker to build a wider variety of housing in areas that were traditionally only single family or duplex homes. 

The new regulation requires local governments to update zoning bylaws to allow Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) on any lots currently zoned for a single family home or duplex. Under the new regulation, you wouldn't need to rezone a lot to build SSMUH, if it is compliant with the zone and provincial policies. The number of SSMUH that will be permitted on a lot varies with the lot size location. 

Examples of SSMUH: 

  • Secondary suites in single family dwellings or duplexes; 
  • Detached accessory dwelling units (adus) like garden suites or laneway homes; 
  • Duplexes (side-by-side, back-to-back, or up/down); 
  • Triplexes and house-plexes; and 
  • Row homes. 

Resources

Next steps

  • Amend the City's Zoning Bylaw for all single family and duplex zones, including off-street parking provisions to comply with the regulation by June 30, 2024. 
  • Complete interim Housing Needs Report by December 31, 2024. 
  • Update the City's Official Community Plan (OCP) to comply with provincial requirements by December 31, 2025.

Bill 46: Development Finance 

As new housing is built, the City will need to add or improve existing infrastructure and amenities. The regulation provides new and expanded tools for the City to use to fund growth. The bill: 

  • Provides governments with a new tool to collect amenity cost charges (ACCs). These ACCs can be used to pay for facilities or features that provide social, culture, heritage, recreational or environmental benefits to a community. Examples include: a community, youth, or seniors' centre, recreational or athletic facility, library, daycare facility, and a public square.
  • Expands what Development Cost Charges (DCC) can be collected for new development. In addition to collecting DCCs for water, sewer, drainage, and roads, the City can now collect DCCs for solid waste and recycling facilities, fire protection services and police facilities. 

Resources

Next steps

  • Create a new ACC tool, anticipated completion in 2024.
  • Amend DCC bylaw and submit for Ministry of Municipal Affairs approval. 

Bill 47: Transit-Oriented Development 

The new regulation requires more dense development near transit stations. This transit-oriented development approach allows people to live, work, and play close to home and transit. Bill 47 requires local governments to designate Transit-Oriented Areas (TOAs) near transit hubs. TOAs are to be identified within 800m of a rapid transit station (e.g., SkyTrain station) and 400m of a bus exchange.

In TOAs, local governments are required to:

  • Ensure that the densities and building heights established by the Province are allowed; and 
  • Remove residential parking minimums in these designated areas. 

Resources

Next steps

  • Update the OCP designate each TOA in accordance with the Local Government Act, including a map, plan or other graphic material by June 30, 2024. 
  • Update off-street parking bylaws with TOA by June 30, 2024. 
  • Complete interim Housing Needs Report by December 31, 2024.
  • Complete updates to the OCP and zoning bylaws by December 31, 2025.