The mayor of Vancouver set out a foundation on Wednesday to address the housing crisis in the city, while reducing barriers to building and streamlining regulations.
Ken Sim released a seven-point motion going before council that would direct city staff to prioritize new housing construction, allow for increased density around transit hubs, speed up a plan for 26 villages in the city and increase enforcement of short-term rental regulations.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 an affordability crisis going on in the city of Vancouver,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd we have a supply and demand imbalance in the city of Vancouver, and how we address that over the longer term is we build more housing.B次元官网网址�
The mayor said residents should expect to see more B次元官网网址渂old motionsB次元官网网址� coming from council in the upcoming weeks to cut delays for building more homes.
He said his team is completing a deep dive into redundant bylaws and guidelines with the goal of cutting the red tape that is holding up the delivery of homes.
While thereB次元官网网址檚 no estimate of how many homes could be built with the changes, Sim said accelerating the implementation of the villages from the Vancouver Plan will bring more homes, ranging from single-family townhomes to multiplexes and three- to six-storey apartment buildings.
B次元官网网址淭his will allow residents who want to downsize to stay in their neighbourhoods, while also ensuring that young families can build a future in the city of Vancouver,B次元官网网址� he added.
The city will also look into housing density near transit hubs, which the mayor said is lacking in some areas.
B次元官网网址淎nd so when we think about it, it makes a lot of sense, more homes attached and surrounding a SkyTrain station means a smaller carbon footprint for the area. And it also means a more interconnected city,B次元官网网址� said Sim.
The announcement came on the same day the city released a digital process that helps applicants navigate the construction of laneway homes, and helps homeowners fast track the permit process if their projects are under $95,000.
Coun. Mike Klassen said when the original Expo Line was built in the 1980s, a lot of the neighbourhoods along the line didnB次元官网网址檛 have the housing density.
He said stations, such as Renfrew, Rupert, 29th Avenue and VCC-Clark, have B次元官网网址済reat opportunitiesB次元官网网址� to build more housing.
The motion will go before council next week and is expected to pass as SimB次元官网网址檚 ABC Vancouver party has the majority on council.
Also within the proposal is a plan to increase enforcement of short-term rentals. Coun. Lenny Zhou said heB次元官网网址檚 had conversations with provincial government officials and believes legislation will be coming soon to further enforce the short-term rental restrictions.
Zhou said the city is also committed to cracking down on illegal short-term rental units.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really optimistic that all levels of government are taking this issue very seriously. As I mentioned before, every single unit matters,B次元官网网址� said Zhou.
Coun. Adriane Carr, a Vancouver Green Party member, said the city was already on track to increase housing, but there isnB次元官网网址檛 consideration of housing affordability in SimB次元官网网址檚 plan.
B次元官网网址淪o IB次元官网网址檓 very worried about the fact that our plan has been to date to prioritize the housing that is most desperately needed, which is for people who are lower incomes. And IB次元官网网址檓 not hearing that, not seeing that in the information that I have received today,B次元官网网址� she said.
On the question of affordability, Sim said the city donB次元官网网址檛 control macro economic issues or interest rate hikes, B次元官网网址測ou have to talk to the Bank of Canada about that. But what we can control is creating an environment where more homes can be built.B次元官网网址�
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