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RDN electoral areas will need close to 3,000 new homes over five years

Report shows the interim housing needs of the region
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A report shows the interim housing needs in Regional District of Nanaimo electoral areas. (PQB News file photo)

The electoral areas in the Regional District of Nanaimo will need close to 3,000 new homes over the next five years to meet the region's growing population. 

That's the projection stipulated in the interim housing needs report that was presented by consultant Deloitte LLP at the Electoral Area Services Committee meeting Jan. 9. 

Jamie Vann Struth, Deloitte senior manager of economic advisory, said numbers are calculated by looking at projected population and household growth over the next five years and projecting how many units are needed to meet that projected growth category.

The formula in determining the housing needs are based on provincial guidelines that provide a simple estimate of total units of housing need. They cover six components: extreme core housing need, homelessness, suppressed household formation, household projections, rental vacancy rate adjustment, and additional housing demand.

The reported shows the total local housing needs for the combined electoral areas A to H over a 5-year period is 2,810 units and 9,469 units over a 20-year period.

The five-year need ranges from a low of 216 units in Area C (Extension, Nanaimo Lakes, East Wellington, Pleasant Valley) to a high of 537 units in Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington, Whiskey Creek, Meadowood).

In District 69, the housing needs for each area for the next five years (single and multi-family dwellings) are:

• Electoral Area E (Nanoose Bay) — five-year need is 472 and 20-year need is 1,554;

• Electoral Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington, Whiskey Creek, Meadowood) — five-year need 537 and 20-year need 1,932;

• Electoral Area G (French Creek, San Pareil, Little Qualicum, Englishman River) — five-year need is 478 and 20-year need is 1,616;

• Electoral Area H (Bowser, Qualicum Bay, Deep Bay) — five-year need is 353 and 20-year need is 1,194;

A motion to receive the report, forward it to the B.C. housing ministry and also post it to the RDN website was recommended for endorsement but not all the directors were in favour.

Electoral Area G director Lehann Wallace raised concerns and has questions regarding the ability to achieve the housing needs in areas that restricted for water supply or require extensive rezoning, or are outside the urban containment boundary. She also pointed out it fails to provide a more accurate information of the growth challenges in the region.

"There's a lot of factors that I don't see are included in the analysis," said Wallace.

RDN CEO Doug Holmes explained the consultant is bound to follow methodology provided by the province to calculate the housing needs.

"It generates numbers that I think, that ignore the factors on the ground which is the implication of director Wallace's question in the first instance, in my opinion," said Holmes.

Vann Struth pointed out his impression is that the BC government wanted to get a standardized methodology across the entire province.

"I agree it does not reflect any local situation very well," said Van Struth, who added that this is just an interim update and that the next report in 2028 will have to be "more all encompassing so it won't just be the numbers."

"It will have to include some consultation and some, more like the existing housing needs.  

Wallace indicated her opposition that the report be posted on the RDN website and "give it credibility that I think is lacking in the lack of context."

Area A director, Jessica Stanley, amended the motion to include supplemental information when posted online.

The RDN will use the results of the report to update its Official Community Plan and zoning bylaws to ensure the housing needs can be achieved. 

 



Michael Briones

About the Author: Michael Briones

I rejoined the PQB News team in April 2017 from the Comox Valley Echo, having previously covered sports for The NEWS in 1997.
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