It’s no surprise that housing affordability is one of the top issues in British Columbia – whether its folks trying to buy or rent homes or people who are unhoused.
The non-profit Angus Reid Institute polled 2,863 British Columbians in the five days after the Oct. 8 leaders debate, with a focus on key battlegrounds in and around Metro Vancouver.
When the pollster asked British Columbians what they considered to be the most important issue to them personally, health care came out on top at 58 per cent, followed by the cost of living/inflation at 54 per cent. Housing affordability was Number 3 at 38 per cent, followed by street crime/public safety (26 percent) and environment/climate change (21 per cent).
The Record sent out questionnaires with a series of questions to the three candidates in New Westminster-Coquitlam: Maureen Curran (BC Green Party), Ndellie Massey (Conservative Party), and Jennifer Whiteside (BC NDP). Only Curran and Whiteside responded to our questionnaire.
Here are the Green and NDP candidates’ responses to two housing-related questions:
Q: The current government has introduced a variety of measures to increase housing supply as part of its plan to address the housing crisis. Are initiatives such as the creation of transit-oriented development areas and the provision of small scale multi housing projects in single-family neighbourhoods the best way to deal with the housing crisis and create more affordable housing? Do you support these initiatives? What would you do to address the housing crisis?
Maureen Curran, BC Green Party
While we do need more housing, and I support density around transit hubs, I am also concerned about the absence of equity and the lack of coherent planning in the way the BCNDP has implemented housing targets. Right now, most rentals and homes near transit are priced way out of range for many households.
I’m a big fan of how Douglas College is building a new student residence; we need to keep getting creative and not be afraid to do things differently. More market priced housing is not going to create affordable homes, and it is not acceptable to be using our tax dollars to subsidize at the real estate market. We need to return to the only policy that ever worked: creating government funded, below market housing. The BC Greens plans include a $1.5-billion investment into a non-profit housing fund and the introduction of vacancy control. The fund will be used to build 26,000 affordable rental units annually through targeted investments in non-market housing providers and housing cooperatives. Reducing housing insecurity is an essential preventative step to stop our growing homeless population and lets people be more productive parts of their community.
Jennifer Whiteside, BC NDP
BC is a great place to live, but housing is too expensive. David Eby is tackling housing costs by targeting speculators, cutting red tape, and breaking down construction barriers. Transit-oriented development and small-scale multi-housing projects in single-family neighbourhoods are crucial to increasing density without drastically altering neighbourhood character.
In New Westminster, we've partnered with the city to protect renters, preserve heritage properties, and keep up with housing demand, including building purpose-built rental units. As Metro Vancouver's fastest-growing municipality, New Westminster has been a great partner, helping us open two affordable housing buildings: Luma Housing on Sixth Street and the PAL building on Carnarvon. We're also building 370 student housing units at Douglas College.
In Coquitlam, families and individuals now have access to 164 affordable rental homes at Robert Nicklin Place, and the Rental Protection Fund has protected 290 units in two housing co-ops.
However, these efforts alone won't resolve the crisis. David Eby's Housing Action Plan tackles speculation and regulatory challenges. Policies like the speculation tax and flipping tax ensure that homes are for people, not profits. The BC NDP is accelerating the construction of 300,000 new homes over the next decade to provide housing for middle-class families.
The Opening Doors to Homeownership plan will help 25,000 middle-class families purchase homes at 60 per cent of market value, making homeownership more accessible without inflating costs.
While John Rustad argues against government involvement in housing, our strategy ensures sustainable growth and secure housing for all.
Q: What would your government do to help municipalities provide more supportive housing?
Maureen Curran, BC Green Party
Supportive housing is lagging so far behind existing needs and it’s having a brutal impact on our community. We should never have let this crisis develop in the first place. It is crucial to act early and not let so many people fall through the cracks - this is why the Green Party is proposing affordability measures along with MSP being expanded to include mental health coverage and reintroducing school psychologist so we can help more people find the supports they need to be successful.
Tackling the local situation that is here now means working with the city; they had a site approved and ready to go in 2021, but the province took its time in doing its share of the work, and it’s only just about to start construction now. Where is the urgency, as our local homeless population is abandoned on the streets day after day and forced to sleep rough or in inadequate temporary shelters at night? How is our community supposed to function when there are so many people being left without basic facilities or supports, who are ill, and in need, and have no place to go? Its putting a massive strain on local businesses, on our hospitals and paramedics, and it is not safe or sustainable.
By partnering with non-profits and municipalities we can move beyond temporary “band aid” solutions; access to appropriate housing arrangements has to be made a priority, so that our cities are healthier and safer for everyone.
Jennifer Whiteside, BC NDP
Everyone deserves a home and a safe, healthy community. Our commitment is to work together on real solutions, ensuring access to secure housing and that our communities remain safe and welcoming for all.
In New Westminster, shovels will hit the ground next month for 60 supportive housing units at Sixth and Agnes. BC Housing is working with the city to identify more sites for this kind of housing. We're also investing in complex care spaces in New Westminster and Coquitlam, including 17 complex care spaces with Fraser Health, to support people with significant mental health challenges, helping them stabilize and break the cycle of homelessness.
Since 2017, the BC NDP has partnered with municipalities to build over 8,700 supportive homes. We remain committed to expanding these efforts, ensuring people get the support they need. Supportive housing offers more than shelter; it includes critical services like mental health care, addiction support, and life skills training to help people rebuild their lives. By working closely with local governments, we ensure they have the resources to develop housing that meets the specific needs of their communities.
We are also simplifying approval processes and reducing red tape to help municipalities move faster on supportive housing projects. By improving coordination between the province and local governments, we can accelerate the development of much-needed housing. Together, these efforts will help get more people off the streets and into the stable housing and support services they need to thrive.
