B.C. to fund new income-tested rental housing on public land

The provincial government says it will spend $950 million and provide $2 billion in low-cost financing to have thousands of rental homes built on under-used public land, which would then be provided to middle-income earners living in those communities.

The announcement is the latest under the province's Homes for People program, which was announced last April and promised a multi-pronged approach to supply new types of housing in the province, combat rampant speculation and address the ongoing problem of many British Columbians not having appropriate, affordable housing.

"We're learning from Vienna, we're learning from Singapore," said B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon in North Vancouver on Tuesday, referencing other jurisdictions the province has looked to model its government-led housing programs on.

The latest plan involves "using government lands and government financing to build housing for teachers, for nurses, for construction workers, so they can afford to stay in their communities in which they work," Kahlon said.

In Tuesday's announcement, the province said it would bring down building costs, speed up the development process and offer low-cost land, financing and grants for projects.

B.C. Builds would partner with non-profit housing providers, public agencies, First Nations and community groups to build rental housing on sites such as parking lots near community centres, open areas behind hospitals and land next to long-term care homes, it said.

The program aims to have construction begin on the projects 12 to 18 months from conception compared to the typical three to five years, said the province.

B.C Builds homes, which will range from studio apartments to three- and four-bedroom units — a type of housing lacking in B.C. — would be made available to households earning between $84,780 and $191,910 a year, with their income tested ahead of move-in to determine if they qualify.

For B.C. Builds projects in partnership with non-profits and First Nations, at least 20 per cent of units must rent at 20 per cent below market rents, the province said.

It added that rents will be determined on a community-by-community basis.

WATCH | Health-care worker describes housing challenges in his community:

Hospital worker says peers have left region over housing crisis

10 months ago

Duration 1:10

Lions Gate Hospital respiratory therapist Tim Heimpel said at a provincial news conference that a program to build rental housing for middle-income earners would bolster sectors like health care in B.C.

The new income-tested housing will operate in addition to other similar programs such as B.C.'s supportive housing fund, Indigenous housing fund and the community housing fund.

On Tuesday, the province said 20 sites have already been identified for housing under the program. The initial target from those projects is 4,000 homes. 

It held its news conference from an example in North Vancouver, where a site owned by the city at 225 E. Second St. that's being developed by non-profit housing provider Catalyst would have an 18-storey mass-timber building constructed on it.

It would include 180 units for middle-income earners who are employed in North Vancouver, with a minimum of 20 per cent of the units renting 20 per cent below market rates.

Keeping local workers local

The building will be on the same site as the North Shore Neighbourhood House, which provides community services including care spaces for 37 children.

Tim Heimpel, a respiratory therapist at Lions Gate Hospital, said at the Tuesday news conference that the project would help workers like him stay in the communities where they work.

"I've seen the increasing cost of housing first-hand," he said. "Our small, niche department has lost two amazing respiratory therapists to other provinces in the last six months alone; many other departments have been affected similarly."

Reacting to Tuesday's announcement, B.C. United Opposition leader Kevin Falcon said on X that, "recycling old funding for another government-knows-best photo op won't build new homes."

Falcon said his party would focus on programs that would promote home ownership in the province.

In a busy legislative session last fall, the B.C. NDP announced housing-related initiatives or legislation meant to restrict short-term rental accommodations, fast-track building approvals, build more housing at transit locations and have standardized designs for small-scale, multi-unit homes, such as townhomes, triplexes and laneway homes, in order to expedite cities' permitting processes.

Confusion over housing changes, opposition says

Karin Kirkpatrick, B.C. United MLA for West Vancouver–Capilano and the shadow minister for housing, said the NDP has brought in so many changes over housing in such a short period of time that it's creating confusion in municipalities.

"I'm finding there's a lot of developers and councils right now that are downing tools because we've already seen so much confusion with what people should be doing with respect to housing, that they're not doing anything right now," Kirkpatrick said.

She said she was underwhelmed by Tuesday's announcement, which highlighted around 400 units being built.

"I find it unusual that there are so few units actually being slated after there's been this giant buildup of what this program is actually going to provide," she said.