News of a high-end condo development being built downtown created a lot of discussion on our website this week. The comments weren’t so much about the project itself – it was more the greater issue of affordable housing and lack thereof, that got people talking.
It’s the right time to have this discussion. Last week, the City of Nanaimo adopted terms of reference for its first-ever affordable housing strategy. The municipality’s Social Planning department will oversee a process that will include public input and will engage members of the non-profit and market housing sectors.
More than half of renters in Nanaimo spend more than 30 per cent of their income on rent, which is the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s threshold in defining affordable housing. The subject is top-of-mind for so many people because it’s tied to so many other cost-of-living issues.
A lack of affordable housing in Nanaimo isn’t necessarily more pronounced than in other communities. Other municipalities have already gotten started studying this issue, and some of their strategies will work here. Affordable housing is a responsibility of all levels of government, but there are things Nanaimo is doing at the local level, and things that can be done better. Community partnerships, tax exemptions, zoning flexibility and reductions in development cost charges can all be parts of the solution. There are mechanisms for municipalities to allow developers ‘bonus’ density on projects in exchange for a certain number of affordable housing units.
The issue is being discussed on the provincial campaign trail. The B.C. Liberals promise $920 million for 5,000 new affordable housing units and tax incentives to build rental suites. The NDP promises 114,000 units over 10 years and $400 renters’ rebates. The Greens would invest $750 million annually to add 4,000 new units per year.
As housing costs rise here and elsewhere, we like to believe that people can afford to live in Nanaimo. We need to ensure it stays that way. The Harbour City has to stay habitable for anyone.