Building & Industry News
BC’s Alarming Erosion of Housing Affordability & Property Rights
The Canadian Real Estate Association reports BC has the highest average home price at $998,721. The BC government charges a Property Transfer Tax (PTT) of $17,974 to do a simple land title transfer when that “average” home is sold. Alberta has an average home price of...
2024 CARE Awards Finalists Announced
The Victoria Residential Builders Association has announced the Finalists for the 2024 CARE Awards and you can vote for the popular Peoples’ Choice Award. From September 2 to September 15, view these outstanding homes at careawards.ca and vote for your favourite. In...
VRBA Announces 2024 CARE Awards Finalists
VICTORIA – Finalists for the 2024 Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence (CARE) Awards of Vancouver Island were announced today by the Victoria Residential Builders Association (VRBA). (News release here) “Congratulations to the CARE Awards Finalists...
Hire a Contractor Using VRBA Expression of Interest
By July 1, municipalities were required to update their bylaws to accommodate the provincial legislation enabling moderate housing density (townhomes, duplexes, fourplexes, etc) in single family zones. In municipalities of more than 5,000 people, this will allow:...
Swarm of Earthquakes Should Awaken BC Govt
A swarm of earthquakes, one with a magnitude up to 6.4, recently struck off the coast of Vancouver Island. Thirteen earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more have occurred so far in July. Natural Resources Canada reports there are plates sliding past each other due to three...
Greater Victoria Housing Starts Still Up 5%
Greater Victoria’s year-to-date housing starts are still up 5% according to CMHC. While, housing starts increased from 150 in May to 334 in June, the June 2024 number is less than June 2023 (502). This means the year-to-date increase of 20% in housing starts from...
Housing Taxes The Problem, Not The Solution
The federal government may be again considering a tax on the sale of Canadians’ primary homes. The media report Prime Minister Trudeau held a private meeting just before Canada Day with an organization called Generation Squeeze, advocates of such a tax. A 2022 report...
DCC Best Practices Guide Needs Enforcement
BC’s Best Practice Guide for Development Cost Charges (DCCs) lacks the enforcement necessary to promote housing affordability. DCC’s are fees charged by local governments to upgrade sewer and water, sidewalks, roads and parks adjacent to new developments. However, the...
Protect Housing in Urban Containment Areas
A new Demographia Housing Affordability report ranks Vancouver the 3rd least affordable housing market, after Hong Kong (1) and Sydney (2). The report says, “impossibly unaffordable housing in the Vancouver market has also spread to smaller BC markets” including...
Loopholes May Sink Missing Middle Housing
By July 1, municipalities must update their bylaws to accommodate the provincial legislation enabling moderate housing density (called missing middle) in single family zones. In municipalities of more than 5,000 people, this will allow: three to four units on...