The Town of View Royal says they are confident they will make new housing targets announced by the provincial government on July 30.
Under the Housing Supply Act, the town is now required to build 585 homes over the next five years. Neighbouring municipalities North Saanich and Colwood are to build another 1,359 homes.
Mayor Sid Tobias says the town does not see any challenge in meeting the targets, and they have updated bylaws to align with provincial direction. They have also implemented additional measures to lower construction costs.
“The town does have significant concerns over the cost of infrastructure to support this development such as adequate roads, sewage and sidewalks as well as the cumulative effect of the unprecedented growth of the West Shore municipalities that are affecting adequate primary care, daycare, public transportation, policing and ecological balance," said Tobias. "The town does not predict that any of these measures will produce any significant impact on the affordability or attainability of housing and without adequate infrastructure and services, it will have a negative impact on liveability.”
Later this year, the town plans to initiate its OCP review process, which guides how the community will develop and change over time. It will outline how to address issues like housing and land development, transportation and mobility, infrastructure, parks and recreation, local economy, and climate change.
Since September 2023, Colwood, North Saanich, View Royal, the City of Victoria, Central Saanich, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich and Sidney have all been given housing targets. The province's Housing Supply Act calls for 60,000 units to be built in the next five years across B.C.
So far, the Greater Victoria area has a total target of 13,930 units.
