The BC Housing Minister told Pitt Meadows council she wants to see more action on new housing, and her words landed with local politicians like a Trump tariff tweet.
“Should satisfactory progress not be made, I may consider compliance measures that support the city making progress toward increasing housing supply,” Christine Boyle warned in the letter to council, dated July 14.
Boyle noted the city delivered only six net new units, and had only 18 new units in the development pipeline – well off the first-year target of 109 net-new units (new builds, minus demolitions) that the province set for Pitt Meadows. The minister called those figures from its six-month housing target progress report “concerning.”
Boyle allowed that the city has adopted the province’s new small scale multi-unit housing and other initiatives designed to speed building.
Mayor Nicole Macdonald called the minister’s letter “insulting, somewhat threatening, but also completely out of touch.”
She said the city has projects that are ready to go from city hall’s perspective, but developers are not moving forward.
Coun. Alison Evans said the city’s six-month report lays out that council is working to facilitate new housing, but called the province’s targets unrealistic, noting building is restricted by the Agricultural Land Reserve, flood plains, and the airport limits building heights.
City council had previously expressed reservations with its five-year target of 727 net new units, set by the province.
Evans objected to the “threatening tone” of the letter.
“What specific action does the minister believe Pitt Meadows should be taking, that we are not already?” she asked.
Coun. Tracy Elke echoed those sentiments.
“The city is not in the business of building homes, we create the conditions for developers…” Elke said.
Elke asked city staff what “compliance measures” the minister could take, and learned the province can order the city to change processes, or can appoint an advisor who would review city bylaws and policies, and make recommendations to the minister for changes.
The mayor was skeptical.
“That six is not going to become 106 because of some process tweak,” said Macdonald.
Coun. Bob Meachen said he was “shocked by the tone,” and called it “a bit of a slap in the face.”
“It will change the look and feel of the city if it continues the way it’s going,” said Meachen.
Coun. Mike Manion said he has seen $1 million ranchers that allow seniors to age in place being replaced by multi-storey homes that sell for $1.4 million, so he doesn’t see affordability gains.
The city will respond to the letter, and staff will ask for a meeting with MLA Lisa Beare, and invite Boyle to visit Pitt Meadows for a meeting.