Government Relations Update #328

HAVAN News
October 19 2019	GRU #328

Government Relations Update #328

Mark Sakai, Director of Government Relations and

Jay Chadha, Government Relations Research Associate

Twitter: @Mark_HAVAN

The Energy Step Code is raising the bar for builder knowledge and expertise on high performance housing. Step 3 will be the base code in 2022 - are you and your team ready? HAVAN's next all-day educational session is on Wednesday 04 November: "Better Performance Home Building in the Real World", with Mark LaLiberte. See our web page for full details and registration.

Also happening on Wednesday 04 November is HAVAN's next Dinner Meeting: "Building the Region Series, Part 2: Missing Middle", which will feature a panel discussion with Gordon Price, Danny Oleksiuk (of Abundant Housing Vancouver) and HAVAN member Jake Fry, moderated by myself. The web page has all the details and registration info.

Come on -- do I really have to say it? Vote!

METRO WEST

For Your Information

At Vancouver's Regular Council meeting of 22 October, there is a staff report on a proposed $25 million 2019 - 2022 Community Housing Incentive Program for social and co-op projects led by non-profit housing providers. As well, there is a report on the Broadway Plan - Phase 1 Engagement and Proposed Guiding Principles. Finally, Cllr. Hardwick's motion on the Character House Zoning Review returns to the agenda for consideration.
On the agenda of Vancouver's Public Hearing of 22 October, is the item "Text Amendments: Miscellaneous and Housekeeping Amendments - Zoning and Development By-Law, Sign By-Law and Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan By-Law" (Item 1).
ICYMI, here are the 2019 updates to the VBBL, courtesy of Brady Faught at the City. And here's the link to Vancouver's main Building Bylaw web page.
The Richmond Chamber of Commerce does not support the Mayors' Council recommendation for an 8-lane tunnel to replace the Massey Tunnel.

NORTHEAST SECTOR

For Your Information

At Maple Ridge's Council Workshop of 22 October, the staff report on "Proposed Revisions to the Development Permit Process" is on the agenda (page 23).
After returning to Council to accomplish his policy goals for his NIMBY base, Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov has heeded the advice of Council to continue his leave of absence until his sexual assault charge is resolved.
Here's a minor annoyance with Port Moody's Council procedures: on the agenda for the Regular meeting of 22 October is Item 5.4, which is a report submitted by Cllr. Madsen requesting that a parking charge of $32.00 be reimbursed, because it was charged to his personal credit card instead of the City's Purchasing Card. Seriously? Does Council time really need to be taken up by something so trivial? (Page 59 of the agenda).
On the agenda for Coquitlam's Council-in-Committee meeting of 21 October is a report by the General Manager of Planning and Development providing an update on the Development Application Process Review (DAPR) program.
At Pitt Meadows' Regular Meeting of Council on 22 October, a staff report on the 'North Lougheed Study Area Draft Land Use Concepts' is on the agenda. In addition, a report providing an update on the Soil Removal and Fill Deposit Regulation Bylaw is also on the agenda.

SOUTH OF FRASER

For Your Information

There are two Notices of Motion on the agenda of Langley Township's Regular Afternoon meeting of 21 October. Item I.1 (page 4) from Cllr. Arnason is on "Developing a Long-Term Funding Strategy for Critical Infrastructure", and Cllr. Woodward's (page 5) is on "Consistent Adjudication of CAC Exemption Requests".
At Langley Township's Public Hearing of 21 October, the Zoning Bylaw Amendments for EV Charging are on the agenda (Item C.3).
At Langley Township's Regular Evening meeting of 21 October, Cllr. Richter has three Notices of Motion on the agenda: Item N.1 regarding Murrayville Water; Item N.2 regarding Vanity Pot-lights; and Item N.3 regarding Irrigation Systems in Shallow Well Areas.
Langley Township is seeking feedback on Builder Training Opportunities (Green Buildings) - and have set up a short (5-7 minute) on-line survey (till Friday 25 October). For more info on the Township's Step Code implementation, see their web page.
At White Rock's Regular Council meeting of 21 October, Item 7.2.4 on the agenda is a recommendation asking Council to direct staff to schedule a Community Forum in November regarding Community Amenity Contributions, for a public opportunity for consultation on expenditure of CAC funds. This item is brought forward from a meeting of the Governance and Legislation Committee meeting of 07 October (page 11 of the agenda here). As well, there are revised Terms of Reference for the Housing Advisory Committee (page 129 of the main agenda).
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NORTH SHORE

For Your Information

In North Vancouver District, a Public Hearing on OCP and Zoning Amendments on the Delbrook Lands is scheduled for 22 October. See the Council Schedule page for the agenda/staff report, public input, and additional information.

REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, NATIONAL

For Your Information

Data geeks, rejoice! TransLink has released the data from the 2017 Trip Diary. Here is Frances Bula's blog on it.
Many people are desperate for something (anything!) to happen regarding the Massey Tunnel, but here's a piece from PriceTags, suggesting that we ensure that the chosen solution is the right one, and not one that will negatively impact the Regional Growth Strategy, or simply shift the congestion to the next bottleneck up the line.
The TransLink Mayors' Council has weighed in on the federal election, and the party platforms on transit funding.
Here is BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson's latest Housing Market Update.
Long-time West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan has announced that he won't be running in the next provincial election.
Still wondering about the federal election and the parties' housing platforms? Do some last-minute research via CHBA's web page.

RENOVATIONS

For Your Information

There's plenty of content on the Home Performance Stakeholder Council's newsletter. Have a look at BC Hydro's Retrofit Experience Survey, find out about rebates, or upcoming training. (Thanks to Joshua for this!)

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

For Your Information

Reported in BIV are the results of this Zoocasa study, indicating that 84% of Canadian respondents say that housing affordability is a 'major issue'.
Here's an op-ed piece from The Courier by UDI CEO Anne McMullin supporting 'thin homes' (i.e. smart densification/infill of SF-zoned areas).

EVERYTHING ELSE

For Your Information

Here's Gordon Price's blog post about 'The Grand Bargain' -- part of how we got to the situation where we find ourselves in, scrambling to get the 'missing middle' housing. Methinks we will be touching on this subject at the HAVAN Dinner Meeting on Wednesday 06 November, when Gordon, Danny Oleksiuk and Jake Fry join me for a panel discussion on accelerating missing middle housing. Check out our web page for full details and registration. (And if that's not enough, we'll be handing out Milestones and Rooftopper Awards that night, as well).
Langley City Councillor Nathan Pachal, writes this blog post about toxic politics, something which has (unfortunately) become a thing.
This is quite the proposal for Abbotsford.
From Glacier Media/BIV: New arrivals purchase one in five homes, according to a Royal LePage study.
If the Extinction Rebellion folks want to make a point, go right ahead, I say (after all, their right to do so is why we fought all those wars, right?) But shutting down public transit goes directly against their concerns, donchathink?

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.