Port Moody's mayor says the city is in a good position to be able to meet targets for building housing set by the province.
On Tuesday, Sept. 26, B.C. housing minister Ravi Kahlon announced Port Moody must build 1,694 housing units to comply with the recently adopted Housing Supply Act.
Of those, 238 should be below market rental units, 466 should be market rentals and 462 should have three bedrooms or more.
Lahti said including units already under construction in the city or approved for construction, along with actual and projected development applications, she's "confident that we can reach the numbers that the province has outlined for occupancy by 2028."
Lahti explained the city's housing action plan, which was adopted by council last year, already provides a framework to ensure diversity of units, including affordable and family-friendly housing.
But, she cautioned, Port Moody won't be building homes just to attain targets.
"While we do need to ensure that we are mindful of the provincial mandate, we still have to predicate all of our decisions based on what is in the best interest of our community as a whole."
Lahti said that includes creating a city that is "climate resilient, connected, vibrant and affordable," as well as properly supported by amenities and services.
She said for that to happen, other levels of government also need to step up with policies and funding to encourage the construction of supportive housing as well as ensure there's enough skilled tradesmen and sufficient building supplies to get the work done.
In June, Port Moody was one of 10 municipalities cited by the province for special attention to pick up the pace of housing construction:
- Abbotsford
- Delta
- Kamloops
- District of North Vancouver
- Oak Bay
- Saanich
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- West Vancouver
Tuesday, Kahlon said the target numbers will "make sure more homes are built in communities with the greatest housing need." He added their progress will be evaluated after six months and annually after that.
Kahlon said the province is providing resources to help those communities speed up their approval processes and streamline permitting.
