Government Relations Update #330

HAVAN News
November 2 2019	GRU #330

Government Relations Update #330

Mark Sakai, Director of Government Relations and

Jay Chadha, Government Relations Research Associate

Twitter: @Mark_HAVAN

METRO WEST

For Your Information

At their meeting on Monday, October 29, Burnaby Council voted to start the formal process of creating a redevelopment plan to transform the Metrotown area into a "downtown core" for the city.
Vancouver Council recently approved the Broadway Plan guiding principles, and as such the city is now is ready to launch phase two of the planning process.
At last Thursday's Builder Breakfast Series session, Chris Higgins of the City of Vancouver presented the City's proposed VBBL 2021 energy requirements for Part 9 residential housing. Here's his letter/memo regarding the proposals, his slide deck, and a postcard from the Zero Emissions Building Exchange (ZEBx), outlining the big rebate for Step 4 or 5 homes using Air Source Heat Pumps.
Vancouver will be holding an information session on Changes to Low Density Housing Permit Processing, on Monday 18 November, 2:30 - 4:00 at the Town Hall Room at City Hall. As far as I can tell, an RSVP is not required -- just show up.
Here's an article by Frances Bula in the Globe & Mail on the success (or not) of Vancouver's Duplexes in RS-Zones policy.
On the agenda for New Westminster's Regular City Council Meeting of November 4 is a report on the '2020 Climate Action Budgeting Framework and Ten Year Carbon Targets: New Westminster's Seven Bold Steps' (pg. 37).

NORTHEAST SECTOR

For Your Information

SOUTH OF FRASER

For Your Information

Here's an article from the Surrey Now on the Semiahmoo Town Centre Plan, as well as a link to the City's web page.
At Langley Township's Regular Afternoon Council Meeting of 04 November, a report on the 'Private Driveways Policy Update' is on the agenda. This potential amendment to the Private Driveways Policy would allow the widening of driveways to a maximum width of 7.5 meters for certain Residential Compact Lots (R-CL).
On the agenda for White Rock's Regular Council Meeting of 04 November is a report on the 'Tree Canopy Plan' (pg. 27). This report includes a brief section discussing 'Tree Guidelines for Developments', with some indication of future plans regarding this topic.

NORTH SHORE

For Your Information

At North Vancouver District's Regular Meeting of Council on 04 November, a report on 'Updating Municipal Policies to Align with IPCC Climate Science' (pg. 103) is on the agenda.
On the agenda for North Vancouver City's Council Meeting of 04 November is a report titled 'Economic Health Cluster Next Steps' (pg.167). Developing an "Economic Health Cluster" means creating a dense area of economic activity, in this case specifically for healthcare related businesses. This also means creating an area with a variety of mixed land uses and an additional focus on transportation and connectivity.
West Vancouver Council talks the talk about climate change response, then refuses to walk the walk by rejecting gentle densification.

REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, NATIONAL

For Your Information

**Call to Action** The National Research Council of Canada has launched a Public Review for proposed changes to the National Building Code of Canada 2015 (NBC), the National Fire Code of Canada 2015 (NFC) and the National Plumbing Code of Canada 2015 (NPC). This review will run from Oct 22, 2019 to Dec 23, 2019. You can provide your comments and read more about the proposed changes by visiting this web page.
On the agenda for Metro Vancouver's Regional Planning Committee meeting of 09 November is a report on 'Growth in Urban Centres and Frequent Transit Development Areas 2006-2016' (Item 5.6).
Here's a piece from The Georgia Straight, referencing a Community Energy Association report on air-source heat pumps.
"We have to stop talking and actually start building". An additional 30,000 rental units are required over the next two years to meet the oncoming demand as per Urban Analytics' Principal, Michael Ferreira. This article in BIV goes on to single out municipalities such as North Vancouver District who are "not budging on approvals" and therefore doing the entire Metro Vancouver region a disfavor.
This op-ed from Mark Ting takes a look at 'What a Liberal minority government means to Vancouver real estate'.
Here's a blog post by Re/Max on 'Up and Coming Canadian Real Estate Cities'.
A federal tax on foreign real estate speculators is expected to be passed by Parliament, as per Blacklock's Reporter.

RENOVATIONS

For Your Information

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

For Your Information

Two UBC professors are suggesting that Vancouver's affordable housing crisis could be addressed by converting public golf courses into residential property.

EVERYTHING ELSE

For Your Information

We've all been there: frustration at the ferry terminal. But BC Ferries has put actions behind the words that advise travellers: "Don't be a jerk".
Electrification of our modes of transportation is a great way to reduce GHG emissions, but we're going to need A LOT of renewable electricity to do it.
Here are the new proposed renderings for what could be Metro Vancouver's tallest tower.
Microsoft is hosting a Cascadia Rail Summit conference to discuss high-speed rail linking Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland.

The content of GRU is determined primarily by HAVAN's geographic territory, which are the municipalities of Metro Vancouver (the regional district). Other considerations are provincial and federal issues, policies, announcements or opportunities to engage that would interest our members, housing-related articles and information from other jurisdictions and, of course, the odd tidbit or video clip that interest me.

Please feel free to distribute this email to others in your office, if you think that they would benefit from the information. If you are reading this as a forwarded message from a colleague, you can get your own version, delivered directly to your mailbox. Just let me know, and I will be more than happy to add you to my list. And don't forget, the most recent issue of GRU is always posted on the Government Relations Page of havan.ca.

As always, comments are welcome. If there is an issue or a website that you would like me to follow, please contact me at 778-373-9784, or via [email protected]

Mark Sakai

Director of Government Relations

HAVAN, through its Director of Government Relations, works with metro Vancouver local governments on important public policy issues, including pending and existing regulations which impact the home building industry. Non-partisan policy analysis and strategic consultation is provided in a collaborative approach in order to efficiently deliver to market the required supply of homes to support Metro Vancouver's 21 municipalities. Working with HAVAN members and industry stakeholders, to build and maintain positive relations with municipal, regional and provincial governments, HAVAN is the respected voice of Metro Vancouver's residential construction industry.