The transformation of BC’s housing development system through recent legislation will require local governments throughout the province to remake local zoning and planning to integrate the new provincial rules. The scale of the work is considerable, as it touches on all aspects of local policy that relate to building sustainable communities, and needs to be completed within tight timelines.
Some local governments are confident they can complete this work by the dates set out in the legislation. Typically these are large communities with robust planning departments and other resources to support the transition; or are smaller communities that are outside of the high-growth regions of the province.
Other communities will be hard-pressed to complete the work within the timelines indicated. Features common to these communities are: planning offices that are already overstretched in regions of the province with high levels of development; or small communities with only one or two staff.