BC Government Ends Dream of Single-Family Home

These single-family homes will not exist in the future

The NDP government of British Columbia is killing the dream of owning a single-family home with legislation to densify municipalities in a bid to staunch the housing crisis.

Now up to six units can be built on single-family plots in cities that have populations of more than 5,000 residents.

While everyone agrees there is a severe housing shortage, there was no opportunity for municipal governments let alone BC residents to discuss it with Victoria -- the provincial government legislated it through the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendments Act, where it took zoning authority from the municipalities and transferred it to the province.

Look forward to more multi-unit housing like this

It wasn't enough that the province had set targets of how much housing cities had to build -- Victoria basically decided there will be no more new single-family homes from now on.

Developers are probably rubbing their hands with glee, though they will also be wondering where they can find the labour to actually build these multi-units. So even if the province wants to make it easier to build more housing, it's not going to happen overnight.

Nevertheless, densification also means busier streets, noisier neighbours, and less privacy. Our neighbourhood has seen new, large sewer pipes put in, which took six months, and it will restart again in the spring in anticipation of this densification.

While some retirees may take this opportunity to sell to developers to make more money, other residents may stand their ground and do whatever it takes to keep single-family dwellings in tact.

This week a Vancouver city councillor proposed looking into how the city's most prestigious neighbourhood could be densified.

Shaughnessy is known for large homes, many of them mansions that stand along streets lined with big thick trees. Its residents have the highest median income in the city and its single-family homes are the most expensive in terms of property value.

A heritage mansion in Shaughnessy

However, Councillor Christine Boyle wanted to get city staff to look into putting in more housing, shops and services in this tony neighbourhood.

And while city council is made up of an ABC party majority that favours pro-development, its councillors did lots of verbal gymnastics to shut down the possibility of even densifying Shaughnessy, saying it was a waste of city resources to look into it, the fact that it has a heritage conservation area designation since 2015.

In addition, a representative from the Shaughnessy Heights Property said the residents there paid for the privilege of living there with its large space and homes, and that is reflected in the property taxes they pay every year. One of its residents is Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou who owns a mansion on Matthews Avenue.

One can only surmise that Vancouver is still stuck in its class system, that the wealthier residents can get away with retaining their privileges while the rest of us will have to suck it up with increasingly cramped space...

It only creates more resentment between the rich and the poor.