Housing is a top of mind issue for many voters, and the two main parties in the current provincial election campaign both came to Surrey last week to outline significant housing policies.
Surrey doesn’t have all the problems that Vancouver has with housing. Notably, there is much less of the extreme gap between wealthy neighbourhoods and the neighbourhoods occupied by everyone else. Surrey also has a much quicker municipal approval process.
Nonetheless, most of the major challenges exist in both Surrey and Delta. Renters have a tough time finding new accommodation and paying much higher rents, and some worry about losing their homes. Landlords struggle with tighter rules on evictions and rent controls. Homeowners face paying large mortgage payments each month as interest rates remain higher; many would-be first-time buyers are shut out of the market because of high prices and interest rates.
Most developers cannot finance new projects, and even with approvals, have a tough time bringing projects to completion. The provincial government has imposed a sweeping set of housing policy changes on municipalities to try and force much more density on every single neighbourhood. And then there is homelessness — on the rise, with very few options available to people living on the street.
The NDP is standing by Bill 44, which forces density on municipalities without any assistance in providing the needed infrastructure. Sixplexes can’t be built on every lot without significant water, sewer, storm drainage and utility upgrades. The same holds true for highrises along SkyTrain lines. The recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention spent much of its time discussing this challenge.
Premier David Eby also announced in Cloverdale on Sept. 25 that the government will spend more than $1 billion over the next five years to provide financing for 5,000 first-time buyers annually — in effect taking 40 per cent of the equity. This program is modelled on a similar commitment from the province in Vancouver for those who buy homes on leased land from the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh development on the Heather lands near Oak Street and West 41st Avenue.
The Conservatives have taken a far different approach. Party leader John Rustad has announced that both renters and owners will be able to write off significant portion of their payments on their B.C. income tax, which would likely mean a saving for people of about $1,500 annually (in five years time).
He too made this announcement in Surrey, on Sept. 23. This program would cost the provincial treasury about $900 million next year, when only $1,500 per month will be able to be written off. Costs will rise annually as the write-off value is boosted in future years. Rustad also announced at the UBCM convention that he would get rid of Bill 44.
It seems likely that the two main parties will be the only ones whose candidates are elected in Surrey and Delta, given the current polls. The races will be much more competitive in this area than in 2020. Voters with an interest in housing issues need to compare the current policies and the future promises, and see which seems to fit best with their own circumstances.
Thus far little has been said about providing more low-cost housing for people, although the NDP government has made some steps in that direction. Much more needs to be done so that people are not paying so much for housing that they are forced to skip meals and medications— as happens with far too many people.
There also needs to be decent housing, with the proper medical and social supports, for those who are on the streets. Dealing with this problem is not simple, but there must be progress.
The Green Party hadn’t announced a housing policy as of Friday (Sept. 27). The party is running some candidates in the 12 Surrey and Delta ridings.
Frank Bucholtz writes twice a month on political issues for Black Press Media publications.
