Saanich Council is engaging in all kinds of actions including triple digit increases to housing fees like DCC’s, putting market housing applications on the backburner behind govt projects, and may require developers (new homebuyers) pay for “inclusive” affordable housing.
Yet council’s “Strategic Plan” neglected to fund the most important initiative for housing: eg “Develop a housing strategy to identify & implement policies to increase the supply, affordability & diversity of housing.”
Housing was rated a top concern in a recent Saanich survey of residents.
One would think a strategy would be funded before embarking on the myriad of actions that are both obstructing new developments and adding to the cost of new homes. Housing starts are down -50% according to the latest CMHC year-to-date statistics.
As a result, VRBA wrote the following letter to council.