Phil Gadd - Unpacking Bill 44 - Transforming Housing in Fernie, BC

In this 20th episode of The Property Mindset Podcast, host Phil Gadd explores the significant impact of Bill 44 on the housing landscape in Fernie, BC. Bill 44, a sweeping legislative change by the BC government, aims to boost the construction of multifamily homes like townhomes and triplexes, fundamentally altering housing development in the area. This episode delves into what Bill 44 means for Fernie, discussing both the potential benefits and the concerns surrounding this new approach to urban planning. Join us for an insightful discussion on how Bill 44 could reshape the future of housing in Fernie, providing more diverse and potentially more affordable housing options.

Show Sponsor: First Tracks Real Estate Group - eXp Luxury

• Bill 44
• City of Fernie - Proposed Zoning Bylaw Update [16th May, 2024]
• New zoning bylaws to allow for more residential density in Fernie
• Bill 44 is an important driver in delivering the homes that people want, need and deserve
• New housing rules in B.C. trigger fears of ‘catastrophic’ loss of urban trees 
• Political opposition in B.C. tears down housing models

Transcript

0:00

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Phil: 0:32

Hello and welcome back to the Property Mindset Podcast. I believe this is episode number 20. Today we are diving into Bill 44. Maybe you don't know what that means, but Bill 44 is some of the biggest legislative changes, that's happened in municipalities here in BC for probably about 40 years. So what is Bill 44? basically we want to give you a very unbiased outlook on what bill 44 means and how it will impact you living here in BC. What is bill 44 and why? Was it introduced? Essentially the BC government has brought in bill 44 and it's legislation aimed at facilitating the construction of up to 130,000 small scale, multifamily homes. Like townhomes, row homes and triplexes over the next 10 years across BC. It acknowledges that previous urban planning efforts have fallen short in fostering adequate housing diversity to meet evolving community needs It enables. Further, multi unit housing formats that can provide more affordable options for modest income household. Seniors looking to downsize, young families and workers alike, teachers and firefighters. It aims to deliver the types of homes people want and need, allowing more housing choice within existing neighborhoods. Bill 44 overrides the ability of municipalities to decide what type of housing is built on most residential land, appending years of community planning Some people might think it automatically permits three to six residential units on most single family lots in communities over 5000 population preempting. Municipal zoning bylaws. This top down approach from the province is seen as necessary by the NDP government to boost housing supply that local governments may have been unable or unwilling to do. To enable, in essence, Bill 44 is the BC government's intervention to rapidly increase the supply of diverse housing options across the province by overriding municipal zoning powers that have maintained low density, single family home neighborhoods. So that in a nutshell is bill 44. Now I'm going to go like I said, we're going to give a pretty unbiased opinion on this bill. What this is. So we're going to get into some potential benefits of Bill 44. Bill 44, aims to increase housing supply and create more diverse housing choices like we mentioned, townhomes, row homes, triplexes on single family lots that could help address It enables smaller multi unit housing formats that can provide more affordable options for modest income households. Like we mentioned earlier, seniors looking to downsize, young families, and workers like teachers, firefighters, etc. It is seen as some as an important driver for delivering affordable housing. The types of homes people want and need, allowing for more housing choice within single family neighborhoods. The legislation acknowledges that previous planning efforts may have fallen short in fostering adequate housing diversity to meet evolving community needs. It aims to streamline the process for funding key services and infrastructure needed to support growing communities alongside new housing developments. Some housing advocates view it as an important step towards increasing supply and potentially improving affordability. The projected 130, 000 homes over the next 10 years from this legislation is supported by economic modeling through various estimates. While there is criticism around the lack and consultation of potential environmental impacts, some see Bill 44 as necessary intervention to boost housing supply and choice through gentle densification of neighbourhoods. How do Developers perceive bill 44 I Guess from a point of view of developer density is going to increase the ability to build more units on single family lots, diverse housing options to build facilitates a construction of a diverse housing types, such as the ones we've mentioned. Catering for different market segments and more affordable budgets streamline approval process. It's definitely something that has been a problem here in Fernie reducing delays by reducing the need for lengthy rezoning processes and public hearings. That will definitely help. This helps reduce holding costs and uncertainty associated with project approvals, predictable net framework, upfront zoning requirements, provide a clear and more predictable regulatory framework, which is crucial for planning and financial projections, economic viability. Developers recognize that Bill 44 addresses the significant housing shortage in BC by enabling the construction of more units. They can better meet the demand, particularly in high growth areas. Potential for profit, obviously from a developer's point of view, high density developments on valuable urban land can lead to increased profitability. Developers potentially will see the requirement for municipalities to plan for 20 year housing needs as a positive step. It aligns with long term investment strategies and provides a stable outlook for future development projects. Industry. Perspectives Anne McMillan from the Urban Development Institute, the president and CEO of the UDI has expressed support for this legislation, highlighting its role in making development charges more transparent and predictable. developers will see Bill 44 as a crucial legislative change that simplifies the development process, increases the potential for profitable projects and helps meet the urgent housing needs in British Columbia and here in Fernie. However, They also, I think, recognize the need for balanced development with community and environmental considerations. So there you have it, there's some benefits and maybe from the point of view of developers on what Bill 44 is going to bring to the table. There's also been some criticism and controversies about the Bill 44. Critics argue that the Bill removes important local control. while developers support the increased density, many local governments and environmental groups have raised strong objections. Critics argue like we mentioned that it removes municipal autonomy and threatens urban forests and green spaces by limiting public input and environmental protections. So here are a couple of statements from critics regarding Bill 44 in British Columbia. A union of BC municipalities president Trish Modendo while acknowledging that Bill 44 has the potential to boost supply of housing, Modendo explains that it could also undo careful planning in many communities to ensure neighborhoods are properly set up with amenities, services and infrastructure to support growth. B. C. Green Party leader, Sonia first and undo when we allow for building of more and more commodities, we are not creating communities. I think there is a real risk here that we are going to see house prices go up as a result of this legislation and affordability decrease. BC United, Karen, Kirkpatrick. If you look at some of the other legislation that all came in at the same time, you will find that some of it negates the potential benefits. I'm also hearing about growing amount of confusion among municipalities and developers, which could actually lead to less housing in the future. so it seems the main criticisms revolve around the lack of consultation and transparency, potentially for increased land values and house prices, undermining affordability goals, loss of local planning control and concerns that legislation may not create complete communities with adequate amenities and services. So what future implications does this potentially have for communities here in BC? Increased housing supply and diversity. But as you can see, some of the critics are basically arguing that this isn't going to be the case. More improved housing affordability reduced community engagement. Essentially, we'll streamline the development process, limiting public hearings consistent with the official community plans while aiming for efficiency, this will reduce community engagement. And it's a concern for some who feel the lack of consultation will have a big impact on their communities. Centralized municipal planning. Bill 44 requires municipalities to update their OCPs every five years based on 20 year housing needs projections, using standardized provincial methodology. This centralized prescriptive approach to municipal planning is seen by some as overriding local autonomy. Environmental impacts. Some critics argue that by limiting public input, the environmental projections, Bill 44 could threaten urban forests, green spaces, and ecosystems as densification occurs. Proponents argue it allows sustainability, incremental neighborhood change. And in summary bill 44 aim to significantly boost long term housing or will the negative impact be too great and actually increase affordability reduce community engagement the loss of local planning autonomy. And environmental protection. This will only play out over time. So in conclusion, everyone wants to know what does bill 44 mean for the community such as Fernie? It could give us increased housing density and diversity. There has arguably been a housing problem, housing shortage, inventory shortage here in Fernie. Could the introduction of residential units such as row houses, townhouses, triplexes on single family lots, Will this enable more affordable housing in these existing neighbourhoods? What will people think of these proposed developments coming into their neighbourhoods? It will be very interesting to see how that plays out. The City of Fernie is proposing a zoning bylaw update to align with Bill 44's mandate of allowing more small scale multi unit housing in residential areas. this will create in Fernie a more diverse housing choice. So Bill 44 limits the requirement for public hearings on developments consistent with Fernie's updated official community plan, hopefully streamlining approval processes. It prohibits Fernie for unreasonably restricting housing density through development permit areas, land use bylaws, or heritage alteration permits. So in summary, Bill 44 aims to significantly increase housing supply and diversity in Fernie through gentle densification of some of the neighbourhoods, while streamlining development approvals and centralizing municipal planning around provincial housing targets. I would imagine this is going to raise some concern around loss of control and the environmental impact. That may have on certain areas. I hope you found this episode of the property mindset podcast. Interesting. If you have, please like subscribe whatever platform you're on, there will also be some links to some more information below these podcasts. So if you're interested, you can check all those out. And if you have any questions get in contact. I'll be more than happy to share my knowledge with you. And help with any questions that you may have.