Kareem Allam unveils Vancouver Liberals housing plan

The Vancouver Liberals have unveiled a housing plan that they say would make new-home construction cheaper and faster if the party and mayoral candidate Kareem Allam win the upcoming municipal election.

The party says it would scrap the Vancouver Building By-law, which regulates construction in the city, adopt the B.C. Building Code, and merge the 12 departments that approve new housing developments into one. Allam said the additional steps required by the city’s unique bylaw add years of waiting to projects and millions of dollars to each high-rise development. He said that without change, development will continue to lag behind Vancouver’s needs.

Other mayoral campaigns have also set out housing proposals. Green Party of Vancouver candidate Pete Fry has promised faster home approvals, more housing choices and a priority on Canadian-built construction. The Greens say they would launch pre-approved housing designs and work with Build Canada Homes to attract investment and fast-track qualifying projects, while supporting the Vancouver Building By-law for climate, mechanical and built-form solutions including mass timber and decarbonization.

Vote Vancouver mayoral candidate and current city councillor Rebecca Bligh has proposed permanently affordable homes for middle-income earners on public land, with not-for-profit child care in all new developments. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver and its candidate Colleen Hardwick say governments and the private sector would work together on housing affordable to middle-income households while prioritizing low-income, supportive and secure rental housing.

Incumbent Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver released an election platform this week focused on public safety, affordability, jobs and the economy, but have not yet released a full policy document or housing details. Voting day is Oct. 17.