Opinion: Housing costs aren’t entirely local, but housing solutions can be 

British Columbians want action. They understand that affordable housing is the foundation upon which healthy communities are built, write Jill Atkey, Margaret Pfoh and Thom Armstrong. Photo by Brandon Deepwell

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As British Columbians prepare to head to the polls this fall for local elections, one message from residents is undeniable: housing affordability remains one of the defining issues facing our communities.

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Recent polling found that nearly seven-in-10 British Columbians (69 per cent) say housing affordability is either the most important issue or one of the top issues facing their community.

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Yet, housing affordability is often discussed as a problem beyond the reach of local government. Rising rents, home prices, construction costs and interest rates are shaped by provincial, national and global forces. But the decisions that determine whether affordable homes are built in our communities are often made much closer to home.

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Housing is too often framed as an issue that belongs exclusively to senior governments, but local governments have meaningful influence over housing outcomes. By partnering with community housing providers, they can help create and protect affordable homes, which are the foundation of healthy communities.

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B.C. needs 12,500 affordable homes every year for the next 10 years to meet housing need: 500 of which must be supportive housing and 3,000 homes for Indigenous people. Recent changes to provincial housing investments will make it even more important for local governments to use every tool available to support affordable housing development.

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Provincial and federal investments are undeniably important, but local governments are the gatekeepers of what ultimately gets built. Local governments influence housing outcomes through land-use planning, zoning, development approvals, parking requirements, density policies and their willingness to partner with community housing providers.

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Residents understand this; more than two-out-of-three British Columbians (71 per cent) expect their local government to take action to create more affordable housing, and three-out-of-four (75 per cent) agree that local government has an important role to play in creating more non-market housing in their community.

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As candidates make their case to voters, broad statements about supporting affordability shouldn’t be enough. Voters should ask specific questions: What actions would you take within municipal authority to improve housing affordability in your first year? Candidates should have clear answers because communities are clear about what they need.

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A strong majority of British Columbians support increasing the supply of non-profit and co-op housing in their communities, while 72 per cent agree that a strong non-profit and co-op housing sector is essential infrastructure for keeping housing affordable. Nearly seven-in-10 (67 per cent) agree that without non-profit and co-op housing, many communities would lose long-term affordable homes.