The City of Victoria’s decision to streamline approvals for affordable housing has prompted a Saanich councillor to a propose a similar move, but View Royal’s mayor doesn’t see a need for it in his municipality.
Following a public hearing on Thursday, Victoria became the first local government in B.C. to allow projects by non-profit, government or co-op housing organizations to bypass rezonings or public hearings as long as they are consistent with the Official Community Plan and design guidelines.
The move is expected to reduce the time and money needed to complete a project.
“The legislation has a lot of merit,” said Saanich Coun. Susan Brice. “Time is money and the money the organizations save can then be reinvested in more affordable housing.” Brice said that she has been following the City of Victoria’s efforts and has already complimented Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and her staff on “a good idea that was well put together.”
“I have already filed a notice of motion to bring the issue before council on April 25. I have instructed staff to prepare the needed amendments to make our process more similar to the City of Victoria to eliminate confusion,” said Brice. “The issue of affordable housing is critical and now it is up to council to act.”
View Royal Mayor David Screech is supportive but does not see any need for changes in his municipality. “We are smaller and we react faster. When it comes to developments, there is no real logjam and projects, in general, get approved in a timely manner,” he said. “But I do admire Victoria for adopting steps that help move it along — as should we all.”
Oak Bay Coun. Hazel Braithwaite, saying she was speaking as a private citizen, said Victoria’s legislation is a “very interesting way to go.” “It’s an important thing, a big thing and kudos to them for passing the legislation,” said Braithwaite. “As a citizen of Oak Bay, I think that we should do more. If not with the large affordable housing projects then perhaps we can help with what Lisa Helps calls the missing middle housing — building fourplexes in place of single-family houses.”
On Bay Street, near Royal Jubilee Hospital, an area that Helps has said could be pre-zoned for rental housing, Samantha Crawshaw was wary of the policy change. “I don’t love the idea,” said Crawshaw, who had the front of her house decorated for Easter egg hunters. “I don’t want to think about selling and moving. Let’s face it, developers love the area because it is so close to everything.”
Brody MacDonald and his partner Juliette Gervais both live in the Russell Street shelter and they welcome any news of housing, affordable or otherwise, being built. “We have been here a year and we can’t wait to get out,” said MacDonald. “Our problem is that the system is not couple friendly. While some of the single residents have found housing in about three months, we’re still here.”
The shelter, a two-storey former warehouse, which currently houses 47 people in 100-foot cubicles, is a transitional shelter run by Our Place Society.
The plan is to convert the space into a 40-unit supportive residential facility, with completion targeted for 2024.
That day cannot come fast enough for Heather Doyle, a resident of a co-op directly across the Russell Street shelter.
“Brody and Juliette are the nicest people but they aren’t like the rest of the residents of the shelter,” said Doyle as she waited with a neighbour for Victoria police to respond to their call for service. “Certain residents have made it a living hell since it opened in May 2021, with calls to police up 400 per cent this year.”
She rattled off a litany of unpleasant experiences, including illicit drugs being consumed, fights, screaming in the middle of the night, tires being slashed and being accosted in her parking area.
“This was once a great space, a safe neighbourhood. But it’s not safe anymore. Dropping an emergency shelter in a dense residential neighbourhood is immoral,” said Doyle. Still, she said that she has “no issue” with Victoria fast-tracking supportive housing. “Just next door to us we have a subsidized housing complex run by the CRD and they are just the sweetest neighbours you could ask for.”
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