The BC Conservatives fleshed out their housing platform Friday, as the provincial election campaign’s first week drew to a close.
Speaking in Surrey, Conservative Leader John Rustad said if elected his government would clear permit backlogs by overruling municipalities and granting the permits directly if cities don’t meet new approval timelines.
The deadlines would be six months for rezoning and development permits, and three months for building permits.
“Getting houses going is the key here, we need to act like it is the crisis that it is,” Rustad said.
“It’s no question in mind when talking to people about leaving this province, particularly youth, they want housing now. So we need to be able to focus on making sure we get things built in this province in a timely way.”
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The Conservatives would also scrap the NDP’s Bill 44, which requires municipalities across the province to allow up to four units on a standard residential lot.
The province says about 90 per cent of municipalities have complied with the legislation, but it has met with significant pushback in some cities including West Vancouver and the Township of Langley.
Rustad said the party would instead work with individual municipalities to “pre-zone” areas for development.
The Conservatives would also amend the NDP’s Bill 47, which requires density around transit hubs, to require grocery stores and small businesses within walking distance of homes.
The platform also calls for the elimination of B.C.’s Energy Step Code and Net Zero mandate, which set 2032 energy efficiency requirements for homes, and which Rustad called a “hidden tax” on new development.
And the party is committing to self-reliance, meaning that if an engineer signs off on a project, no additional municipal checks would be needed.
“We need to get government out of the way,” Rustad said. “We need to unleash the role of the private sector.”
The party is also promising a forensic audit of BC Housing.
Friday’s announcement adds to the Conservatives’ pledge, unveiled Monday, for a $3.5-billion tax credit on housing costs. The benefit would allow people to begin applying $1,500 per month of rent or mortgage payments against provincial income tax in 2026, rising to $3,000 by 2029. The party estimates the move would save people an average of $1,700 on their taxes annually.
It also adds to the party’s promise for a $1 billion annual infrastructure fund for municipalities that allow small-scale multi-unit housing on two thirds of residential land.
Rustad has also previously pledged to scrap the NDP’s legislation restricting short-term rentals, which he said takes away private property rights and is a matter better handled by municipalities.
BC NDP Leader David Eby was also talking housing on Friday, pledging to fast-track pre-fabricated homes to speed up construction.
The BC Green Party had no public events on Friday.
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