Latest summary:
Previously:
Federal plan: London, Calgary, GST on new rental housing
Housing Accelerator update, weeks 2-4: Halifax, Mississauga, Vaughan
Week 5: Hamilton, Metro Vancouver
Week 6: Quebec, Kitchener, Guelph, Burlington
Week 7: Ajax, Moncton, Brampton, Richmond Hill, Kelowna, Edmonton
Week 8: Waterloo, Charlottetown, Winnipeg
Week 9: agreements with Kitchener and Quebec
Week 10: agreements with Calgary and Moncton
Regina: council unanimously approves changes
On Wednesday, Regina city council unanimously approved in principle to go ahead with four units by right, four storeys within 400 metres of frequent transit, and removing parking requirements near frequent transit.
Alexander Quon, CBC: City council takes step toward changing Regina's density bylaws as $36M hangs in the balance.
Regina city council has approved a motion that would allow builders to make new residential buildings more dense and add more units to existing buildings.
It helps clear the way for the City of Regina to secure up to $36.2 million from the federal government's housing accelerator grant program, which would be used to drive 1,100 permit approvals for housing units in Regina by 2026.
The 1,100 permits would be on top of the usual number of housing units.
The plan is to make the city centre more dense, address gaps in middle-income housing in neighbourhoods, cut housing-related red tape for some applications, and support the conversion of non-residential buildings to residential use.
The city also plans to remove parking minimums for developments near main transit routes.
"I can see the wisdom in [the motion]," said Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli. "This hits a lot of the right strokes, so I'm in."
All of the changes will need to be approved by council at a later date in the form of bylaw amendments.
As staff members repeatedly told councillors, the proposed changes will be transformational to neighbourhoods and to the process staff will follow to approve development.
Saskatoon: council approves changes
Also on Wednesday, Saskatoon city council voted to go ahead with four units by right, four storeys within 800 metres of bus rapid transit corridors, and removing parking requirements within the corridor areas.
Keira Miller, CJWW: City Council agrees to increase housing density in hopes of being approved for Housing Accelerator Fund.
Saskatoon City Council has agreed to go ahead with four significant changes to the City’s zoning bylaw by request of the Federal Housing Minister.
Several months ago, the City of Saskatoon had applied for the Housing Accelerator Fund, which would provide roughly $45 million towards addressing housing supply and affordability.
In mid-October, Mayor Clark’s office received a letter from Sean Fraser requesting that the City legalize up to four units on large enough properties city wide, legalize up to four storeys within 800 metres of planned rapid transit, reduce parking requirements near rapid transit bus routes, and increase housing density in walking distance of the University of Saskatchewan.
Winnipeg: council approves changes
On Thursday, Winnipeg city council voted to go ahead with changes. It sounds like there was more opposition.
Joyanne Pursaga, Winnipeg Free Press: Winnipeg agrees to Ottawa’s rules in attempt to snag housing cash.
The changes will:
— Legalize the construction of up to four housing units on a single lot “as-of-right” citywide;
— Legalize buildings of up to four-storeys “as-of-right” at any site within 800 metres of frequent transit corridors;
— Ensure new mid-rise housing targeted for mall sites and commercial corridors is allowed “as-of-right.”
(“As-of-right” means such developments would be permitted, removing the current requirement to have a zoning or variance application approved by a city committee and complete a public hearing.)