Whereas local governments are increasingly expected to contribute financially to the development of attainable housing by waiving development application fees, development cost charges, and amenity contributions; And whereas local governments rely on revenues from development application fees, development cost charges, and amenity contributions to provide the infrastructure, amenities, and services that support housing; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province, as part of their housing initiatives, to provide funding to local governments to offset the revenue losses resulting from the waiving of development application fees, development cost charges, and amenity contributions associated with the development of attainable housing.
Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs Local governments have a range of development financing and other tools that can be used to help fund the costs of infrastructure and amenities that are needed to support new development, including Development Cost Charges DCCs, Amenity Cost Charges ACCs, Inclusionary Zoning, subdivision servicing bylaws, excess or extended services, latecomer agreements, development works agreements, and density bonusing. While prescribed classes of affordable housing are exempt from ACCs, local governments may, at their discretion, choose to waive or reduce some of the other charges for certain types of housing as set out in the legislation. The Province supports local governments in facilitating the development of attainable housing and associated infrastructure, amenities, and services. The Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs are working with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, through a Memorandum of Understanding MOU, to find ways to strengthen financial resiliency and address costs drivers impacting local governments. The Province continues to advocate for local governments with the federal government for bilateral funding programs to support local government infrastructure needs. Additionally, in 2023, the Growing Communities Fund provided a one-time total of 1 billion in grants to all 188 of BCs local governments, to use to address their communitys unique infrastructure and amenities demands.