Abbotsford so far has attained 39 per cent of the new-housing targets set by the province as it reaches the halfway point of the annual reporting period.
But some members of council are critical of how the targets have been determined.
The city’s interim “housing target progress report” was presented to council on May 14, covering the period from Oct. 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
The report is in response to the province’s housing target order issued in September 2023, establishing annual numbers and an overall five-year target.
Abbotsford was among the first 10 of 47 municipalities that are subject to the targets as part of the province’s Housing Supply Act (Bill 43) in response to the housing crisis.
The interim report indicates that of the 1,022 new units that the province has set for the city to complete during the first year (Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024), Abbotsford has so far completed 403.
Of those, 236 are owned units, and 167 are rentals.
Another 710 units have received some form of approval, while an additional 2,615 have been approved in principle.
Abbotsford’s target set by the province over five years is to have 7,240 new units completed.
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Speaking at the public council meeting on May 14, Coun. Simon Gibson questioned how the province came up with the numbers it has assigned the city.
Heather Kauer, director of community planning, said staff met with the housing ministry two or three times, but it wasn’t clear how the targets were determined.
“We’ve been under the impression … that the methodology that they used will be clearer once the guidelines for the housing-needs report comes out,” she said.
Gibson said meeting the targets “puts a lot of pressure on our city.”
“Council’s endorsing this initiative and yet these targets are so ethereal. It’s so frustrating. Can we meet them?” he said.
Mayor Ross Siemens also expressed frustration, saying the housing market “isn’t quite where we need it to be.” He said he has had “pointed discussions” with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon on the matter.
“Abbotsford is well-positioned to meet our targets and we’re doing everything within our power to be able to address the housing challenges,” he said.
“But along with that comes employment and comes the economy and a number of things that are beyond our control. I find it interesting that senior levels of government are trying to assist us in solving the housing crisis, but they’re in our lane, and they need to clearly be in their lane as far as taxation and the economy and interest rates.”
The city must now file its interim report with the housing ministry, with the annual report due in November.
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