VICTORIA – A coalition of municipalities in British Columbia is calling on the province to repeal housing legislation designed to increase supply through higher density, but the housing minister says there’s no going “backward.”

Sixteen Metro Vancouver mayors, including those in Surrey, Burnaby and Richmond, say the legislation ignores local realities, raises costs and lacks financial support from the province for the necessary infrastructure.

They want two bills repealed that require municipalities to meet housing mandates, increase density on lots previously zoned for single-detached homes and designate transit hubs for density.

However, Housing Minister Christine Boyle says these policies are “making a real difference” and that government has no plans to make further changes to them.

See Full Page