Last February, we shared a blog about the SSMUH legislation introduced by the provincial government. This groundbreaking legislation allows for the construction of multiple housing units, specifically 3-6 dwelling units, on a single residential lot in all cities across British Columbia. As the June 30, 2024 deadline for SSMUH adaptation draws near, we've reached out to various cities to gather updates on their revised zoning bylaws and their progress in implementing this new legislation. This significant change in zoning laws is set to create new opportunities not just for lot owners but also for builders and real estate professionals.
Addressing the Housing Crisis
Despite numerous efforts by cities, Canada continues to face a persistent housing crisis. We recognize that even with these legislative changes, the impact will take time to manifest. For instance, many Canadian homes now support multi-generational living, where grandparents, parents, and children share a single lot. Given Canada’s diverse immigrant population, this family-oriented living arrangement is quite common.
The new SSMUH updates facilitate multi-generational living by allowing multiple dwelling units on a single lot. This doesn’t mean everyone shares one home; instead, it means multiple homes can coexist on a single property, offering privacy and space for each family unit.
Updates from Cities
We've reached out to various cities and received responses about their latest SSMUH adaptation efforts.
The feedback has been promising, with most cities committed to updating their local zoning bylaws by the June 30, 2024 deadline.
City’s Adaptation
Some cities have already publicly released their SSMUH adaptation plans, set to be adopted by July.
For example, the City of Burnaby has made its adaptation details public, and these have been discussed in two council meetings. At this stage, no further changes are anticipated.
Conclusion
With these developments, we can expect numerous opportunities that could positively impact Canada’s housing market. This is excellent news for both builders and homeowners.
Reference
City of Langley: https://langleycity.ca/news/notice-1st-2nd-readings-bylaw-no-3284-zoning-bylaw-amendment-general-regulations-june-3-2024
Township of Langley: https://www.tol.ca/en/the-township/provincial-housing-legislation.aspx#When-does-the-legislation-take-effect
City of Mission: https://www.mission.ca/council-government/meetings-agendas
City of Maple Ridge: https://www.mapleridge.ca/build-do-business/planning-land-use/community-planning/housing/new-provincial-legislation
District of West Vancouver: https://www.westvancouver.ca/mayor-council/council-agendas-minutes
City of Port Coquitlam: https://pub-portcoquitlam.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=11167
City of North Vancouver: https://www.cnv.org/Business-Development/Building/New-Provincial-Housing-Legislation-Updates
City of Abbotsford: https://letstalkabbotsford.ca/new-housing-regulations
City of Coquitlam: https://www.coquitlam.ca/1361/Small-Scale-Multi-Unit-Housing-in-Coquit
City of Port Moody: https://www.portmoody.ca/en/news/notice-of-1st-2nd-and-3rd-reading-for-zoning-amendment-bylaw-no-3460-ssmuh-june-18-2024.aspx
City of Burnaby: https://www.burnaby.ca/our-city/projects/zoning-bylaw-rewrite
That’s it for today! If you're interested in building multiple dwelling units or curious about what types of homes are best suited for your lot, feel free to send us an email. We’re more than happy to assist you and offer free 30-minute consultations for those planning to build their dream house. Stay tuned for more updates on our blog, and look out for our upcoming YouTube content on this topic. Follow us on social media for the latest news, and we’ll see you in the next post!