Greater Victoria’s year-to-date housing starts are down 8% according to CMHC. From January to August, housing starts were 2,706 vs 2,937 during the same period last year.
The decline in British Columbia is 9% at 23,141 new homes this year vs 25,448 last year.
This is despite provincially established housing targets. The reality is Victoria housing starts have declined 26% from 538 last year to 399 this year.
Many other municipalities are also declining: Oak Bay 23%; Sidney 69%; North Saanich 62%; View Royal 69%; Esquimalt 95%, Central Saanich at a 100% decline with zero housing starts this year.
BC govt and municipal officials claim housing is improving despite evidence to the contrary. Obstruction and high costs continue.
Fifty-three per cent of all new housing in the CRD is in two West Shore municipalities – Langford at 1032, up 15%; and Colwood – 401, an increase of 23%.
The BC govt’s housing targets appear to be having no impact in most municipalities.
Some municipalities are ratcheting up regulations and fees to obstruct the province’s legislation enabling up to 6 units on single family lots.
Oak Bay recently approved a bylaw increasing the site setbacks and reducing the building height of missing middle housing vs the recommendations in the province’s site standards manual. This manual should be mandatory, not optional.