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Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative: Pre-zoning for Non-Profit Housing

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Consultation has concluded

Project Update: January 17, 2025: Thank you again to everyone who took the time to participate in the engagement opportunities for the Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative. The input and feedback collected through engagement helped refine changes to the Zoning Bylaw, which have now been finalized. 

City staff are presenting to Council on January 20, 2025 the Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Non-Profit Housing Development) No. 8502, 2025, which proposes allowing affordable rental (below and non-market) housing projects to forego rezoning if they meet the eligibility criteria. The proposed Zoning Amendment Bylaw also sets out regulations with which the project must comply, including: building regulations (e.g. site coverage, setbacks), permitted accessory uses, and parking and access requirements. For more details, please see the Council report here.


Project Update, November 5, 2024: Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in engagement opportunities. Input and feedback collected through the engagement will help refine the Zoning Bylaw changes. Click here to read the report that summarizes the input and feedback.

The City is responding to the affordable housing crisis by amending the city-wide Zoning Bylaw and Official Community Plan (OCP). The purpose of these zoning changes is to reduce some of the regulatory barriers to affordable housing projects.

Background

The Metro Vancouver region, including the City of New Westminster, is in the midst of a housing crisis. While the City has approved more development applications for market ownership and market rental housing units annually than established housing goals, there are still not enough affordable (below and non-market) rental housing units in New Westminster. To learn more about affordable housing in New Westminster, please visit the FAQs page for details.

The increasing gap between the demand and supply of available affordable housing units is a key finding of the two-year review of the City’s Housing Needs Report. The Report identifies a need for 208 new below/non-market rental units to be constructed each year from now to 2031. However, development from 2021 and 2022 did not meet this annual unit goal. 

In future years, an additional 100 affordable housing units per year are required to make up for this shortage of units. Without partnerships with and secured funding from Provincial and Federal agencies to drive these projects, it is expected that the gap between the demand and supply of affordable housing units will continue to increase. 

alt= A graphic titled "Housing Spectrum - Unit Goals" showing different housing types including Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, Affordable Rental Housing, Market Rental Housing, and Market Home Ownership.


What is being proposed?

To achieve the land use and density outlined in the Official Community Plan (OCP), most properties in New Westminster must be rezoned for affordable housing to be constructed. The rezoning process can be challenging for housing providers that are trying to deliver new affordable housing, because project funding often requires zoning to already be in place or to be changed very quickly. 

To address these and other challenges that affordable housing projects face in New Westminster, two phases are proposed for the Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative. To begin, the City will explore changing the Zoning Bylaw across New Westminster to permit all affordable housing projects of up to six storeys when / where:

If the above criteria are met, a rezoning application would not be required. Projects would still be subject to other standard City approvals, including a Development Permit, Works and Services Agreement, and Building Permit.


We want to hear from you! Your input will help inform the proposed zoning changes on how affordable rental housing projects can be better integrated into New Westminster. 

In 2025, as the second phase of this initiative, the City will explore whether the Official Community Plan (OCP) should be further changed in order to further increase the viability of affordable housing.

How can I engage?

Engagement for Phase 1 of the initiative is complete. Thank you to everyone who shared their input on changes to the Zoning Bylaw.

How will my input be used?

The results of the consultation for Phase 1 of the initiative informed Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Non-Profit Housing Development) No. 8502, 2025 Amendments, which will be brought forward to Council on January 20, 2025. Click here to read the report that summarizes the input and feedback.

Project Update: January 17, 2025: Thank you again to everyone who took the time to participate in the engagement opportunities for the Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative. The input and feedback collected through engagement helped refine changes to the Zoning Bylaw, which have now been finalized. 

City staff are presenting to Council on January 20, 2025 the Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Non-Profit Housing Development) No. 8502, 2025, which proposes allowing affordable rental (below and non-market) housing projects to forego rezoning if they meet the eligibility criteria. The proposed Zoning Amendment Bylaw also sets out regulations with which the project must comply, including: building regulations (e.g. site coverage, setbacks), permitted accessory uses, and parking and access requirements. For more details, please see the Council report here.


Project Update, November 5, 2024: Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in engagement opportunities. Input and feedback collected through the engagement will help refine the Zoning Bylaw changes. Click here to read the report that summarizes the input and feedback.

The City is responding to the affordable housing crisis by amending the city-wide Zoning Bylaw and Official Community Plan (OCP). The purpose of these zoning changes is to reduce some of the regulatory barriers to affordable housing projects.

Background

The Metro Vancouver region, including the City of New Westminster, is in the midst of a housing crisis. While the City has approved more development applications for market ownership and market rental housing units annually than established housing goals, there are still not enough affordable (below and non-market) rental housing units in New Westminster. To learn more about affordable housing in New Westminster, please visit the FAQs page for details.

The increasing gap between the demand and supply of available affordable housing units is a key finding of the two-year review of the City’s Housing Needs Report. The Report identifies a need for 208 new below/non-market rental units to be constructed each year from now to 2031. However, development from 2021 and 2022 did not meet this annual unit goal. 

In future years, an additional 100 affordable housing units per year are required to make up for this shortage of units. Without partnerships with and secured funding from Provincial and Federal agencies to drive these projects, it is expected that the gap between the demand and supply of affordable housing units will continue to increase. 

alt= A graphic titled "Housing Spectrum - Unit Goals" showing different housing types including Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, Affordable Rental Housing, Market Rental Housing, and Market Home Ownership.


What is being proposed?

To achieve the land use and density outlined in the Official Community Plan (OCP), most properties in New Westminster must be rezoned for affordable housing to be constructed. The rezoning process can be challenging for housing providers that are trying to deliver new affordable housing, because project funding often requires zoning to already be in place or to be changed very quickly. 

To address these and other challenges that affordable housing projects face in New Westminster, two phases are proposed for the Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative. To begin, the City will explore changing the Zoning Bylaw across New Westminster to permit all affordable housing projects of up to six storeys when / where:

If the above criteria are met, a rezoning application would not be required. Projects would still be subject to other standard City approvals, including a Development Permit, Works and Services Agreement, and Building Permit.


We want to hear from you! Your input will help inform the proposed zoning changes on how affordable rental housing projects can be better integrated into New Westminster. 

In 2025, as the second phase of this initiative, the City will explore whether the Official Community Plan (OCP) should be further changed in order to further increase the viability of affordable housing.

How can I engage?

Engagement for Phase 1 of the initiative is complete. Thank you to everyone who shared their input on changes to the Zoning Bylaw.

How will my input be used?

The results of the consultation for Phase 1 of the initiative informed Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Non-Profit Housing Development) No. 8502, 2025 Amendments, which will be brought forward to Council on January 20, 2025. Click here to read the report that summarizes the input and feedback.

Consultation has concluded

Have a question about the Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative? Add it here and we will aim to reply within five business days. For more complex questions or submissions with several questions, we might need longer to prepare an answer!  If we think your question would be of interest to others, we'll post your question and our response here.

  • Share What would be considered an area where "higher density is already identified in the Official Community Plan"? Specifically, would this include areas designated for Townhomes or Ground Orientated Infill if they fall outside of a Skytrain Transit Orientated Area? on Facebook Share What would be considered an area where "higher density is already identified in the Official Community Plan"? Specifically, would this include areas designated for Townhomes or Ground Orientated Infill if they fall outside of a Skytrain Transit Orientated Area? on Twitter Share What would be considered an area where "higher density is already identified in the Official Community Plan"? Specifically, would this include areas designated for Townhomes or Ground Orientated Infill if they fall outside of a Skytrain Transit Orientated Area? on Linkedin Email What would be considered an area where "higher density is already identified in the Official Community Plan"? Specifically, would this include areas designated for Townhomes or Ground Orientated Infill if they fall outside of a Skytrain Transit Orientated Area? link

    What would be considered an area where "higher density is already identified in the Official Community Plan"? Specifically, would this include areas designated for Townhomes or Ground Orientated Infill if they fall outside of a Skytrain Transit Orientated Area?

    Westie asked 4 months ago

    Hello, thanks for your question. The proposed density of 6 stories for the Affordable Housing Acceleration Initiative is currently allowed under the Residential – Multiple Unit Buildings (RM) designation in the City’s OCP. This does not include areas designated for Townhomes or Ground-Oriented Infill (RGO/RT). You can see a map of these areas within the City here.

  • Share I appreciate the efforts and detailed information provided here. Is there data available on how many buildings are currently owned and operated by a non-profit housing provider in New Westminster? on Facebook Share I appreciate the efforts and detailed information provided here. Is there data available on how many buildings are currently owned and operated by a non-profit housing provider in New Westminster? on Twitter Share I appreciate the efforts and detailed information provided here. Is there data available on how many buildings are currently owned and operated by a non-profit housing provider in New Westminster? on Linkedin Email I appreciate the efforts and detailed information provided here. Is there data available on how many buildings are currently owned and operated by a non-profit housing provider in New Westminster? link

    I appreciate the efforts and detailed information provided here. Is there data available on how many buildings are currently owned and operated by a non-profit housing provider in New Westminster?

    Liz asked 7 months ago

    Good morning,

    Thank you for your question. As of June 2024, there are 55 buildings owned and/or operated by non-profit housing providers in New Westminster.