New Westminster will be required to build close to 4,500 new homes within five years after housing targets for 10 communities across B.C. were revealed today, July 30, as part of the Province Housing Supply Act.
In April, New West was included among 20 municipalities listed in B.C.'s latest round of priority communities, which Mayor Patrick Johnstone candidly called "BS."
“I'm here today because I'm disappointed in the Minister of Housing's announcement today. I'm calling BS on this priority list,” he said at an April 23 news conference.
“This government has to stop pointing fingers. It has to start doing its job to get housing built.”
In Tuesday's news release, the province announced New West's requirement will be 4,432 homes — the highest among a total of more than 17,000.
Other communities' numbers are as follows (in alphabetical order):
- Colwood - 940
- City of Langley - 1,844
- Mission - 1,798
- North Cowichan - 1,233
- North Saanich - 419
- Port Coquitlam - 2,279
- Prince George - 1,803
- View Royal - 585
- West Kelowna - 2,266
Johnstone said New West's inclusion made "no sense" to prioritize the city for new housing targets when the city has spent more than 10 years leading the region in meeting housing needs.
“New Westminster has consistently been one of the fastest-growing cities in the region, and it's now the second densest city in all of Canada,” he said. “We lead the region in approving new purpose-built rental. We're doing more than any other city to address the critical rental vacancy crisis that's in our region. And we are one of the few cities that is meeting and exceeding its regional growth strategy targets. We are doing our job as a city in getting housing built.”
New West mayor “calling BS” on province’s housing priority list https://t.co/1YIYbXaWdB
— The Record (@TheRecord) April 23, 2024
Johnstone said he was "stunned" when he heard the news.
“The only place that we're falling short, the only place we're falling short of community need, is in subsidized and supportive housing.
“And it's not because we're not approving it – we are approving that type of housing; it's because the province refuses to fund affordable housing at a scale that meets the crisis that we're facing.”'
In a city news release following the announcement of the housing target numbers, Johnstone said the city has always valued its partnership with the province.
"The City of New Westminster has always valued our partnership with the Province in advancing our work to realize the needs of our community.
“And now more than ever we need to work shoulder-to-shoulder to create communities that not only offer the necessary housing options for our citizens, but also provide the required and necessary services that residents need and deserve.”
The province said it will monitor progress and work with municipalities to achieve their targets, which are based on 75 per cent of the provincial estimated housing need for each community.
"The best way to solve the housing crisis and build more homes for people is by working together," Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon said in the July 30 announcement.
"Our government is working closely with municipalities to ensure more homes are built in communities with the greatest needs. By having these targets, all levels of government will be able to align to address the housing crisis and help build more affordable housing for people in these communities for years to come."
After Tuesday's announcement, the city said it had begun the process of setting new baselines for necessary infrastructure and amenity investments to support anticipated growth and is working with the province on funding models that assure the financial tools are in place.
With files from Theresa McManus, New Westminster Record
