Calling it “a disaster in the making” “undemocratic” and a “one-size-fits-all” model that doesn’t take into account local topography, Surrey-White Rock Conservative MLA Trevor Halford reaffirmed that he intends to keep up the fight to repeal Bill 44, the provincial government’s legislation designed to boost housing
Speaking at Monday afternoon’s council meeting, Trevor Halford encouraged council members to do the same – although Mayor Megan Knight noted that while council shares his concerns, the city has not many options other than complying with the legislation
Measures in the legislation enable the redevelopment of single-family lots to provide as many as 6 separate units, with public hearings waived and city requirements for on-site parking suspended when developments are deemed close enough to transit stops.
Halford said that while he believes that the legislation may make sense in some areas of the province, it doesn’t make any sense in White Rock and South Surrey.
"I think it’s highly problematic, it’s undemocratic, and I think it puts our city at risk" he said, citing the landslides that claimed two lives in Lions Bay in December and noting that steep terrain presents the same potential for slides in South Surrey and White Rock.
A Conservative calling legislation legally passed by the provincial legislature undemocratic
How unexpected
I actually understand his concerns. Ontario passed a law banning bike lanes. It’s completely stupid. It’s against local democracy.
The issue is that local cities all blocked multi-storey housing for so long that extreme measures were necessary. British Columbia is the epicenter of the housing crisis in Canada.
At some point, the province had to do something.
Municipal governments only exist and have any authority because of Provincial legislation, they aren’t inherently more democratic in some way just because they’re local. One could easily argue municipalities (and even provinces) are less democratic because the voting is tied to being able to afford (and being allowed) to live in a specific location rather than being an everyone gets a say situation.
Oak bay (a greater Victoria municipality) intentionally implementing policies designed to restrict growth means that they are developing and maintaining their own little fiefdom. The land is still part of Canada and how it’s used should be up to every Citizen equally.
It’s also inherently a conflict of interest, people that own homes there will pass laws so that their property value increases. Rent goes up, and now people (mainly students) are paying ~$1000 per month to live in someones bedroom and even more for a shoddily renovated basement “suite”.
When you look at all of the infrastructure upgrades that need to be done, water, sewage, the lack of schools, the lack of hospital care and hospital professionals – we’re not set up for this.
Guess you better get to work and stop whining.
“This is needed but elsewhere, not here!”