|
The targets are now official for three Greater Victoria municipalities deemed to be among the top 10 BC communities with the most pressing housing needs.
The Housing Supply Act requires the following number of new homes within five years:
“These targets are a step toward creating more homes to meet the diverse housing needs of Saanich residents,” Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock said in the province's news release. “We are committed to working together with the Province on housing solutions, and welcome their support to help us achieve our goals.” After six months, and every year thereafter, municipalities will be evaluated on their progress. A second cohort of eight to 10 municipalities will be selected by the end of the year.
0 Comments
The provincial government has capped the allowable rent increase to 3.5% for 2024.
Landlords who plan to raise rent in 2024 will need to provide tenants with three months notice using the correct form and following specific rules. BC's Minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon, said costs are increasing for landlords and tenants. The need for affordable housing well documented, but many property owners are facing higher costs for repairs, financing and maintenance. The province claims the 3,5% cap will keep people housed while making sure rental units stay on the market. The rent increase cap does not apply to commercial tenancies, non-profit housing with rent geared to income, co-op housing and some assisted-living facilities. The latest sales figures show a slight increase in the number of homes for sale, though the demand for housing continues to affect the cost of living in our region.
According to the Victoria Real Estate Board, there were 2,490 listings at the end of August. That's up 2.9% from the previous month and higher than the 2,137 homes listed in August 2022. "The focus in our market and by all levels of government needs to be on opening up more supply," VREB chair Graden Sol said in a news release. "Our inventory levels, though up from last year, are still too low to support a well-balanced market. A decade ago, we saw over 5,000 active listings in August." Sol noted that many listings were for single family homes, which are at the top of the residential market. "Missing middle homes, such as townhomes and condos represented only 37.1% of listings for sale," Sol said. "Townhomes, which in my experience are what a lot of families hope to purchase, represented only 9.8% of the residential properties for sale. This imbalance in the mix of housing options means there is the potential for more price pressure on these types of properties because demand is concentrated at more attainable price points." The benchmark value for a single family home in August was $1,323,900. That 's up $5,100 from July but down $3,800 from last summer. A new report by the Conference Board of Canada's Workplace Mental Health Research Centre found that your organization's policies on absenteeism could directly affect the productivity of employees. The study noted that it's difficult to measure presenteeism — workers pushing through their day despite feeling unwell physically or mentally. A lack of awareness and sense of trust between employer and employees was cited as a common reason for not addressing presenteeism.
“Without formal productivity measures, how can you tell that somebody is showing up and not delivering 100%?" the reports quotes one unnamed employer. "I don’t know that you can.” Most of the causes for presenteeism were related to symptoms of illness, stress and and trouble sleeping. Stigma around mental health continues to be a major factor for workers punching the clock when feeling unwell. There remains concerns about how disclosing an illness could impact their standing in the workplace. The report suggests organizations can take active strategies, such as accommodations for caregivers — predominately women — so they can remain on track for career growth and can overcome the many barriers they face. The conference board established the research centre to increase awareness and understanding of workplace mental health through research, analysis and dialogue. High-interest rates and uncertainty over the state of the economy are behind the tourism industry slowing down after its fast recovery from the pandemic. A report by TD titled "A Slow Road to Recovery for Canadian Tourism Spending," states the industry won't fully recover until about 2025.
Current tourism spending is at about 87% of where it was in 2019. "Although more price-conscious tourists could weigh on profit margins in the sector, slower demand growth may allow the industry time to overcome labour shortages," the report states. In BC, tourism employment is the highest its been since 2018 as employers work to overcome challenges finding and keeping staff. Greater Victoria tourism earns environmental rep Back in May, Greater Victoria received some love from a feature in Vogue about how we "became a sustainable travel hotspot." the article identifies a number of Chamber members who have helped make Greater Victoria green, including:
Housing supply is at the core of Chamber advocacy. Greater Victoria, like much of North America, is facing a crunch — not enough homes are being built to meet demand. This affects the cost of living for employees, delays people from starting a family and impacts the availability of shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
A group of Canadian housing sector organizations recently released the National Housing Accord: A Multi-Sector Approach to Ending Canada’s Rental Housing Crisis. The report offers 10 solutions that aim to focus the efforts of all levels of government and industry on policies to support more building. "It's a bit of a Catch 22 in that we need skilled tradespeople to build homes so that the market has enough supply for skilled tradespeople to be able to afford to live here," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "The lack of housing affects people at all income levels but is particularly concerning for people early in their careers and those who have the added costs that come with raising kids." If the dialogue around remote work seems to have changed from "when is your team going back to the office to how can you adopt a hybrid workplace," you're not alone. The Canadian Chamber's Business Data Lab shows that North American cities are adapting to a new reality. Employers who are facing challenges finding and keeping workers are embracing workforce mobility as a solution. However, the change requires new strategies for ensuring the economic health and safety of urban cores that have lost jobs to the suburbs. The Chamber is working with our regional partners to rethink the role of Downtown Victoria so that it continues to be the vibrant centre of our regional economy.
"We know that our suburban downtowns are thriving, and that's good news for a lot of municipalities in Greater Victoria," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "What we also need to do is make sure that Downtown Victoria continues as a major draw for tourists and a great place to live for residents. Of course, the way we do that is making sure we have a great climate for businesses to thrive so they can provide the goods and services that attract visitors and support locals." The board of the Capital Regional District has agreed to a $53.5 million plan that will widen and add lighting to sections of the Galloping Goose and Lochside regional trails. The sections are on the Galloping Goose between the Selkirk Trestle and Grange Road, and the Lochside Trail between the Switch Bridge and Borden Street.
The plan was developed over several years through public engagement. About three million people use the trails per year and the CRD says user volumes "will increase significantly due to trends in population growth and a shift toward active transportation and healthy lifestyles." Cyclists account for about 80% of traffic on the trail, compared to 20% for pedestrians. Housing supply is emerging as the root of many challenges facing Greater Victoria and the economy of Canada as a whole. To try and address some of the foundational causes of a lack of housing, the Community Social Planning Council has released a toolkit for local government. Local Government Levers for Housing Affordability addresses how housing affects everything from "staffing shortages to wage pressure to homelessness."
The document gathers policy tools that have been used successfully by large and small municipalities across the country. A panel of experts has been tasked with developing a Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for the City of Victoria. The goal is to address multiple complex issues such as "declining civility and social cohesion, increasing social disorder, inadequate housing supply and homelessness, poverty, inequality, addictions, mental and physical health challenges, criminal activity and other factors."
The panel will work over the next 15 months to advise Victoria council on immediate interventions as well as long-term solutions. "I’m in frequent contact with the business community throughout the downtown and beyond and I’m consistently hearing that the impact of the pandemic is far from over," Fort Properties Ltd. CEO/co-owner Suzanne Bradbury said in the city's news release. "I believe that this is the right initiative at the right time and I’m honoured to bring a small business perspective.” Along with Bradbury, the panel includes:
In Greater Victoria, The Chamber serves as the voice of business by amplifying what we hear from our members. We can then further raise the volume by working with our national network to include the questions and concerns of more than 200,000 businesses across Canada.
A recent example is the 2024 pre-budget recommendations submitted by the Canadian Chamber to the federal government. The submission calls for for investment in trade-enhancing infrastructure, easing the burden of doing business, facilitating the transition to net-zero, enabling an innovative economy, attracting and retaining talent and taking a lead role in life sciences. To learn more about the work done by The Chamber's Public Policy and Advocacy committee, contact communications@victoriachamber.ca. The City of Victoria is considering a program that will help spruce up the look of businesses in the downtown core. The Business Façade Beautification Reimbursement Program is on the agenda for Thursday's council meeting. The city and the Downtown Victoria Business Association would split the cost of the program.
“This is an incentive to the property owners and the businesses on that block to join together and make their block look better," DVBA CEO Jeff Bray told the Times Colonist. "And I think when you do that over a handful of key blocks, it will be very noticeable.” The Township of Esquimalt and the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce introduced the Business Façade Improvement Project this year. "As the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, we support investment in our very important downtown centres," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "They're not all the same, of course, but they all need to be safe communities. The best way to do that is to support community pride led by local business." One of the ways we can help employers address labour shortages is by improving regional transportation planning. Making commutes more convenient opens up areas outside of the core where housing costs can be less expensive. Efficient transportation is also vital for reducing harmful emissions.
The Chamber applauds the recent move by the Capital Regional District to prioritize transportation governance in Greater Victoria. The CRD Board has asked for feedback from municipalities, local areas, the province and relevant agencies to help with future decisions about how to shift modes of transportation, reduce emissions and better address congestion. The Capital Regional District board wants to help address our region's housing supply shortage by taking on more projects. The regional district can't add more to its plate unless it increases its borrowing authority. Its current cap is fully committed to new homes already under development.
“Our region’s housing crisis continues to need our dedicated perseverance to make progress,” CRD Board Chair Colin Plant said in a news release. “We need to be nimble, we need to be determined, and we need to signal a willingness to invest in solutions so we can quickly take advantage of new housing opportunities and provincial or federal government programs that will allow us to secure more units for those in need in this region.” The CRD intends to increase its borrowing authority through the Land Assembly, Housing and Land Banking service to $85 million to support new projects or the opportunity to invest in potential partnerships. The Regional Housing First Program is an example of the type of partnership that could benefit from an increase to the CRD’s borrowing authority. The program has brought 13 approved capital projects and 1,325 units to the region since 2019. The Chamber applauds the ongoing investment in new workers through the Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning Pathways. Camosun College received $240,625 in funds for 2022/23. and, this year, the province is providing $3.8 million to help students earn pre-requisites for post-secondary programs they need to meet career goals.
The provincial government released the first cohort of municipalities that have been targeted to increase housing supply. The City of Victoria as well as the District of Saanich and the District of Oak Bay are on the list.
The Housing Supply Act allows the province to set housing targets that encourage municipalities to make construction more efficient so housing can be built faster. Some of the suggested tools include updated zoning bylaws and streamlined approval processes. “The housing crisis is hurting people and holding back our economy, and we’re taking action with our partners to cut red tape and get homes built faster for people. Municipalities are our critical partners in addressing the housing crisis and building healthy, economically viable communities,” BC's Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon said. “We welcome being part of a first wave of communities challenged to accelerate building homes for people," Victoria mayor Marianne Alto said. "These targets reflect the city’s own commitment to housing current and future Victorians.” The other municipalities are Abbotsford, Delta, Kamloops, North Vancouver, Port Moody, Vancouver and West Vancouver. A second cohort of 10 municipalities will be announced later this year. E-bike are being lauded as a game changer for getting commuters to make the shift from cars to active transportation. And, to help more people choose an e-bike as a way to get around, the province is offering rebates to all British Columbians over 19. Based on income, rebates range from $350 to $1,400, with $6 million available to subsidize as many as 9,000 e-bike purchases.
The program will be administered by the Scrap-It Society. Efficient regional transportation is one of the keys to attracting and retaining workers. E-bikes also produce less emissions than motor vehicles as well as being a healthier alternative for commuters — especially those with sedentary jobs. If you're interested, check out Chamber members who supply or service e-bikes. The minimum wage in this province makes a significant jump tomorrow, going from $15.65 to $16.75 an hour.
The increase was previously announced on April 5. "This is a cost increase that will affect more than people who pay or are paid minimum wage," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "With inflation still very much dominating business news, we are concerned that this measure will prolong the pain by increasing prices for consumers and suppliers and prevent the Bank of Canada from lowering interest rates in the near term." BC now has the highest minimum wage of any province in Canada. How will this affect your business? Will you need to raise prices or reduce staff? Email communications@victoriachamber.ca. Your feedback helps inform The Chamber's advocacy efforts when we speak with decision makers in government. Creating more housing supply is key to making Greater Victoria more economically sustainable. Employers need staff, and employees need to be able to afford where they live. With homes in high demand in our region, we need all levels of government to be part of the solution.
The Chamber applauds the recent decision by the District of Saanich to create more homes in the municipality. The New Small Apartment Infill Zone will allow single-family lots to be redeveloped as multi-unit apartments. There are guidelines to ensure the zoning is used on appropriate lots. “We have heard that there’s an interest in building these in Saanich,” Saanich Mayor Dean Murdoch told the Times Colonist. “We’ve got a very large university and college campuses in Saanich and there’s a desire to build housing types like this that would serve that student population.” Phase 1 of a project that shows how innovation led by business can help with some of our community's most complex challenges has officially opened.
The Dalmation, located at 1021 Johnson St., was built by Jawl Residential Ltd. (Dalmation Developments), and features 130 rental units, office space and a new firehall for the Victoria Fire Department within an eight-storey building. The homes will rent for between $375 and $2,900 per month based on unit size and resident income. The next phases of the project will include more than 480 market-rate rental homes and a diverse mix of commercial, retail and restaurant space, as well as dedicated public spaces, including a 250-square-metre public plaza. “We are very proud of the work that went into developing and constructing The Dalmatian and Victoria Fire Department Headquarters," Director of Development for Dalmatian Developments David Jawl said in a news release. "The completion of this project is a wonderful example of how partnerships between the private and public sector can succeed to deliver much-needed housing and safety infrastructure in our communities.” The project is a partnership between BC Housing, the City of Victoria, Pacifica Housing and Dalmatian Developments. It is the largest purpose-built affordable rental project of its kind in downtown Victoria. The provincial government announced Tuesday that is focusing on five pillars to help businesses find and keep employees. They are:
“I’m hearing from businesses, small and large, that finding skilled labour is one of their biggest challenges,” said BC Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey, who will be speaking at The Chamber's Business Leader Luncheon on Monday, May 8. As Greater Victoria municipalities reveal their 2023 budgets, many businesses are finding out if they'll face higher taxes this year.
Victoria, for example, has seen operating costs surge due to inflation and new spending. City council tried to scale back but businesses and residents are still facing hundreds of dollars in new costs. The typical business property assessed at $714,000 will pay an extra $445 despite getting few of the services or benefits provided to residents. It's much worse for industrial lands, which face a 37% increase that could add hundreds of thousands to major operations. "It's clear that we have work to do to help many of the new councillors in our region understand why reducing business taxes is an investment in community," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said, noting that businesses need cost certainty and many were hit with rising inflation as they were beginning to return to normal after the pandemic. "These businesses provide goods and services as well as jobs for their owners and employees. Jobs that are at risk of going away if the business is unaffordable," Williams said. "And in the case of industry, these new taxes effectively replace good jobs with money for the city to spend. That's wrong. We need to invest in our marine industries, especially, to preserve the value they add to our region." The Chamber's 160th annual general meeting took place April 18 at the Inn at Laurel Point. After making sure operations and financials were in order, members in attendance were treated to a frank discussion with BC's Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon. Chamber CEO Bruce Williams emceed the session and asked about the provincial government's plan to increase housing supply. The minister noted that legislation had been introduced that morning that will help projects avoid time-consuming delays. Among other topics was a discussion about the need to remove barriers for skilled workers coming here from other countries and provinces. Delays in the recognition of credentials has been an ongoing concern for newcomers wanting to work in their chosen professions. Minister Kahlon encouraged The Chamber to continue advocating for change, noting the message is being heard. He pointed to efforts to increase BC's health care workforce that are beginning to pay off. Also discussed were increasing student housing to free up rental properties for workers, strategies to house the homeless and using public land to build non-market housing following models that have proven successful elsewhere. "The Chamber is grateful to Minister Kahlon for sharing his time with our members to talk about the many challenges facing housing in Greater Victoria and the province," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. "This year's annual general meeting was the 160th time we've reported to our members and we are working to make sure the next 12 months are successful for our organization, for all our member businesses and for everyone in our community."  A new era for rapid transit in Greater Victoria began this week with the launch of BC Transit's Blink RapidBus Route 95. The first of the orange-topped buses hit the road Monday, taking passengers from Downtown Victoria to Langford. The new route replaces Route 50 and promises more convenient service with buses running every seven to eight minutes in peak times.
"Rapid transit takes time to implement, so while this modest step will increase our service levels, frequency and reliability for customers, more infrastructure is needed to make Blink RapidBus even faster," states BC Transit's website. The Chamber applauds the City of Victoria council for its willingness to listen and make decisions that contribute to a great community for all.
Victoria council has voted to approve the Harris Green redevelopment that will add 1,500 much-needed rental units. Council also agreed to restore funding for a late-night policing program that has shown proven results. Chamber members are clear that safe communities and affordable housing, which helps employers find and keep workers, are among their top advocacy priorities. |
Copyright © 2021 Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
#100 – 852 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1H8, Canada | Phone: (250) 383-7191 chamber@victoriachamber.ca | Site Map |
Notice a typo or broken link? Please let us know so we can fix it ASAP. Email communications@victoriachamber.ca