Housing & Homelessness

Home construction and supply platforms

Here's what the 2024 BC election parties are promising.

BC NDP

  • Fast-track construction of factory-built homes

    "This is the next logical step after cutting red tape to allow for the construction of more single homes, duplexes, triplexes and townhomes. Factory-built home construction will play a critical role in solving the housing crisis — delivering immediate results. While BC Builds continues to build large-scale multi-unit housing, BC’s emerging factory home construction industry can build complete state-of-the-art, small-scale multi-unit homes in just 12 weeks — and deliver those homes while also cutting construction waste by up to 70% and reducing harmful emissions by 43%. By fueling BC’s factory home construction industry, everyone from municipalities to multi-generational families can build quality small-scale multi- unit housing more affordably on land they already own."

    An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Partner with non-profits and private companies to build middle-income housing on public land

    "We’ll never sell public land that is suitable for attainable housing to be built on. Instead, we’ll partner with the non- profit and private sector to build attainable middle-income housing."

    An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Waive provincial property taxes for new purpose-built rental projects
  • Create a new local infrastructure investment fund tied to housing starts

    "Encourage municipal partnerships to build more housing through a new local infrastructure investment fund that’s tied to housing starts, while offering more flexibility to cities exceeding those targets."

    An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Work with municipalities to allow non-market housing near new transit stations and extra height for new co-op, non-profit, & public housing

    "Work with municipalities to build up rather than out by:

    » Prioritizing the construction of affordable, non-market housing near new SkyTrain and rapid bus stations;

    » Cutting red tape and encouraging more development across all non- market housing; and,

    » Allowing additional height for all new co-op, non-profit and public rental housing."

    An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

  • Double construction apprenticeship training

    "Double construction apprenticeship training so BC has the supply of red-seal certified workers needed to build the tens of thousands homes we need every year."

    An Action Plan for You, retrieved 2024-10-07

BC Conservatives

  • Require municipal governments to issue a clear yes or no for rezoning applications and permits within a set timeline

    "Approve homes in months, not years: 6 months for a rezoning and development permit, and 3 months for a building permit. If a clear yes/no is not issued by city hall within the required timeline, the provincial government will issue the permits." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Require zoning to be changed at the same time as other land-use policies

    "Require zoning to be proactive: We will work with cities to ensure that Zoning is changed at the same time as other land use policies, in what is sometimes referred to as “pre-zoning.” Even though Official Community Plans and Area Plans specify what types of buildings are encouraged, cities still require a unique rezoning for each building – adding years of delay that we can’t afford." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Require regulators to presume that work is done in accordance with the rules

    "Trust BC professionals to do their job: Critical months and years are wasted by having bureaucracies second-guess the work of highly-skilled, regulated, and certified technical professionals like engineers and architects. We will enact Presumption of Compliance laws so municipal and provincial regulators must presume that BC’s professionals can perform + peer-review their work in accordance with the rules." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Repeal the Step Code

    "Remove NDP taxes on housing: The NDP is increasing construction costs by up to 30-40% - in the middle of a housing crisis. This hidden tax, called the “Step Code”, also results in dark, cookie-cutter homes, with few windows and diminished quality of life for residents. We will immediately repeal the Step Code, the radical “Net-Zero” mandate, and all other NDP hidden taxes on housing." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Remove net-zero GHG requirements for new home construction
  • Limit the ability of local governments to regulate new housing

    "End over-regulation: Regulators often inflate the price of housing by over-stepping their role, such as by requiring endless design reviews or by forcing builders to give away brand new homes. These are heavy taxes on new housing, and they kill projects – often only the expensive ones can survive. We will amend the Local Government Act to prevent home-killing red tape." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Establish a BC Development Tribunal to hold regulators and politicians accountable with regards to development

    "Uphold the rule of law and defend property rights: Establish the BC Development Tribunal to hold regulators and politicians accountable to the rule of law and fair process." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Limit development cost charges, and allow them to be paid after projects are completed

    "Reform Development Cost Charges: Allow DCCs to be paid upon project completion, not as a front-loaded cost. We will also take action to prevent DCCs from being set at rates in excess of the “growth pays for growth” principle." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Prevent property tax increases based on future potential

    "Make taxes fair for homeowners: The scale of the housing crisis will require significant changes to zoning. We will work with BC Assessment to make sure that current homeowners don’t get hit with higher tax bills based on future potential." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Identify land in the Agricultural Land Reserve to use for building new towns
  • Repeal the current government's housing bill (Bill 44), but support municipalities to optionally continue implementation

    "Repeal Bill 44: Local government needs the flexibility to plan in the way that works best for their communities. We will work with cities, not against them, to build the housing BC needs. Some municipalities support the provisions of Bill 44, and we will continue to assist them in implementation." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

  • Create a $1B/year infrastructure fund for municipalities who allow small-scale multi-unit housing on at least 2/3rds of residential land

    "Create the Civic Infrastructure Renewal Fund: A $1 billion per year fund that will be available to municipalities who are taking action to get homes built. The funds will be available to municipalities whose zoning allows for viable Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing on at least 2/3rds of residential land." — conservativebc.ca, retrieved 2024-10-08

BC Greens

  • Invest $1.5B in building 26K non-market housing units per year, including 3K dedicated for Indigenous Peoples

    "Provide $1.5 billion annually to construct 26,000 new units of non-market housing each year, with 3,000 units dedicated specifically for Indigenous Peoples." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Reward communities that meet development targets with a portion of property transfer taxes

    "Partner with municipalities to meet housing development targets and reward successful communities by sharing a portion of property transfer taxes." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Develop housing specifically for families, students, essential workers, seniors, and people with disabilities
  • Work with the Construction Association to promote trades as a career option, and ensure affordable tuition

    "Collaborate with the Construction Association to promote trades as a career option for young people, women, Indigenous, and racialized communities. Ensure these training programs have affordable tuition." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Invest in innovation and design guidelines for prefabricated home technologies

    "Position BC as a global leader in prefabricated home technologies by investing in innovation and developing comprehensive design guidelines to improve housing quality and affordability." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

  • Provide government-backed construction loans and mortgage guarantees for housing non-profits and housing coops

    "Support non-profits and housing cooperatives with upfront investment, grant capital and low-interest financing through government-backed construction loans and mortgage guarantees." — BC Greens 2024 Platform, retrieved 2024-10-09

Looking for the parties' positions on other topics?

See our full 2024 BC election platform comparison
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