Greater Victoria’s year-to-date housing starts are down 3% according to CMHC. From January to September, housing starts were 3,066 vs 3,153 during the same period last year.
The decline in British Columbia is 8% at 29,585 new homes this year vs 32,054 last year.
This is despite provincially established housing targets. The reality is City of Victoria housing starts have declined 27% from 549 last year to 400 this year.
Many other municipalities are also declining: Oak Bay 17%; Sidney 53%; North Saanich 57%; View Royal 69%; Esquimalt 94%, Central Saanich at a 79%.
BC govt and municipal officials claim housing is improving despite evidence to the contrary. Obstruction and high costs continue.
Fifty-four per cent of all new housing in the CRD is in two West Shore municipalities – Langford at 1,235 up 35%; and Colwood – 428, an increase of 242%.
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.