MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, May 26, 2022
For immediate release
Are we building enough housing in Metro Vancouver?
A municipal check-up to the widely distributed 2019 HAVAN report.
Vancouver, BC: The Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) released an update to the 2019 report ‘Are we Building Enough Housing Supply? ’ at the recent Lower Mainland Municipal Government Association (LMLGA) annual conference in Whistler, BC, May 4 – 6, 2022.
The 2022 report looks at the percentage of annual housing surplus and/or shortfall by municipality in relation to Metro Vancouver’s 2040 Regional Growth Strategy projection.
Whereas the initial report released in 2019 was based on net housing averaged over the years 2011 through 2018, this report is based on 2021 Census data, realizing any correlation between reports should be limited.
Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO says, ‘the real pulse is in the actual 2022 numbers. The City of North Vancouver exceeds projections, having 27,293 homes, 1693 more than projected. All other municipalities fall short, recognizing a 20% shortfall in Anmore (186 homes) does not impact the region in the same vein as the 14% shortfall in the District of North Vancouver (4,800 homes), or the 1% shortfall in Vancouver (3,664 homes.)
‘A report of this nature helps to monitor the pulse of building enough housing of all kinds to serve our communities across the region.’ As of the 2021 census, Metro Vancouver was short over 68,000 homes.
Recognizing global constraints, supply issues, inflationary pressures, and employment shortages all add to the challenges of building homes these days, Rapp says ‘the one area we can look to improve is streamlining and expediting the approvals process at the zoning stage. Inviting input earlier and limiting to the Official Community Plan (OCP) avoids fragmenting the approvals process on a lot by lot, project by project basis, that systematically opens the opportunity for small groups, or a single voice to impede construction intended for the betterment of the larger community.’
Thriving communities offer the right mix of housing for people to live and work close to home, welcome new immigrants, and allow people to remain in their neighbourhoods as they downsize or grow. Rapp notes ‘some people may think their communities have enough homes, but in the context of Metro Vancouver’s 2040 plan, building homes remains an essential piece of the solution for tomorrow’s generations, today.’
Solutions require the partnership and collaboration with local governments and private industry to ensure the right mix of enough homes can be built to meet the needs of all citizens, across all Metro Vancouver municipalities.
As we look to municipal elections this fall, it is imperative to understand where local governments are succeeding, or falling short, and to vote for officials who support proactive housing solutions to meet Metro Vancouver’s housing needs.
Media Enquiries:
Ron Rapp, CEO, Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN)
ron@havan.ca
604-516-9272
www.havan.ca
HAVAN, the Homebuilders Association Vancouver, is over eleven hundred members strong. Recognized as leaders in the homebuilding industry since 1974, our members include builders, developers, renovators, designers, suppliers, sub-trades, and leading professionals. We are an association of knowledgeable, trusted, resourceful and local professionals who build over 65% of Metro Vancouver’s homes.
HAVAN provides both industry and consumer education, and actively liaises with local municipal governments with the focus of meeting Metro Vancouver’s housing needs. A not-for-profit association, HAVAN is proudly affiliated with both the provincial CHBA BC, and national CHBA offices.
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