Ladysmith's Current Housing Needs Assessment

 

Housing Needs Report to help plan now for Ladysmith's future

In 2019 the Local Government Act was amended to require local governments to complete Housing Needs Reports. The legislation required a local government to complete a Housing Needs Report every five years. Requirements for Housing Needs Reports included projections for the number of housing units needed over a five-year period and “consideration” of the report when adopting or amending an OCP. The Town received its first Housing Needs Report on February 16, 2021.

In November of 2022, the Province enacted the Housing Supply Act. The Act changed the requirements for Housing Needs Reports. Specifically:

  • Section 790 (2) of the Local Government Act and Section 23 of the Housing Needs Report Regulation now requires local governments to receive an “Interim” Housing Needs Report, no later than January 1, 2025.
  • Housing Needs Reports must now include projections for a 20-year time horizon and use additional methods and parameters prescribed by the Province.
  • Municipalities must amend their OCP’s and, “if necessary”, zoning bylaws to reflect their Interim Housing Needs Report no later than December 31, 2025.
  •  Interim Housing Needs Reports must contain a statement about the need for housing in close proximity to sustainable transportation infrastructure and a description of the actions taken since receiving the previous Housing Needs Report, to reduce housing needs.”

What is a Housing Needs Assessment 

Local governments are required to collect approximately 50 distinct types of data to include in the final report.  Much of this information is already publicly available through BC Assessment, BC Stats and contained within the Statistics Canada Census.

The Housing Needs Report contains information specific to the Town of Ladysmith such as our projected population, household income, significant economic sectors and any currently available and anticipated housing units.