Building & Industry News
Housing Starts Up and Down in Greater Victoria
According to CMHC, year- to-date, (Jan to May 2026) Greater Victoria has posted 1,789 new homes, a 30% increase from the 1,379 last year (Jan to May 2025). That said, there were only 233 new homes in May 2026 compared with 376 in May 2025 and 864 last month (April...
VRBA Proposes Housing Solutions at Budget Consultation
This week, VRBA provided several recommendations to assist housing affordability at the budget consultation of BC’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. Past recommendations included rezoning for small multis resulting in Bill 44 enabling...
Apt/Condos in Victoria Boost Housing Starts
According to CMHC, year- to-date, (Jan to April 2026) Greater Victoria has posted 1,556 new homes, a 55% increase from the 1,003 last year (Jan to April 2025). That said, of the 864 new homes in April, 640 are apt/condos in Victoria. Many municipalities had single...
Community Benefits Policy Undermines Community Benefits
The BC govt recently cancelled contracts for construction of the Burnaby Hospital’s second phase, as well as long-term care projects in Delta, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Kelowna. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma says the BC govt’s deficit of $13.3 billion is...
Is BC Govt Asleep at the Wheel?
On March 26, Ontario announced a partnership with Ottawa to fund tax relief on new housing and a reduction of municipal development charges. More than a month later, British Columbia homebuyers and builders are still waiting for similar tax relief. The Ontario...
Got a Call From City of Victoria
Got a call from the City of Victoria building permit dept. Claimed the builder voluntarily opted for $2,500 engineering report for installing spray foam. Wrong. The builder was told by the permit dept that the engineering report is mandatory. We sent the permit dept...
Carbon-Neutral RNG Offers Energy Security, Affordability
The BC government allows municipalities to effectively ban carbon-neutral, renewable natural gas (RNG) in new homes, undermining housing affordability and energy security. Yet the province now admits BC has an electricity supply shortage. BC imports more electricity...
New Missing Middle Housing Up 100% in 2026
According to CMHC, year- to-date, (Jan to March 2026) Greater Victoria has posted 692 new homes, a 12% increase from the 612 last year (Jan to March 2025). That said, CMHC reports only 132 housing starts in March 2026 in Greater Victoria. This is a 64% decline from...
Federal Tax Relief Kickstarts Ontario Housing
Ontario builders are reporting brisk sales since the federal and provincial govts announced a tax relief deal for new housing. Builders are also rehiring staff and subtrades boosting Ontario’s employment and economy. The agreement removes the full 13% HST on new homes...
BC Homebuyers Await Eby/Carney Housing Partnership
If housing unaffordability is a consideration, BC should have been first out of the gate announcing a partnership with Ottawa to fund tax relief and reduction of municipal development charges. BC has the highest average home price at $932,711 where the country’s...