Potential boom in rural Central Okanagan neighbourhoods coming too fast

Provincial amendments for housing may be coming too fast in the rural areas around Kelowna, which is booming. A photo of Kelowna on Jan. 31, 2024. The Central Okanagan is projected to see significant population growth during the next two decades.Regional District of the Central Okanagan staff are raising concerns that recent provincial housing mandates will trigger greater density in sparsely populated rural neighborhoods before they’re ready for it.

“The potential residential density in the electoral areas could double,” reads the regional district report. According to BC Assessment data, approximately 25 per cent of lots in the electoral areas are currently vacant, therefore a full build-out scenario under the Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing legislation could result in a 166 per cent increase in the number of residential units.Further, it’s unclear whether secondary suites are ideal either, and district staff pointed to a 2017 report to highlight their concerns.

“Proposed bylaw amendments and associated analysis will require considerable staff resources and our ability to meet the legislative compliance deadline is further limited by ongoing commitments to support residents affected by the White Rock Lake and McDougall Creek wildfires.”If they don’t, local governments may apply for time-based extensions according to the criteria outlined by the Ministry of Housing.

Staff are preparing an application to the Ministry of Housing requesting an 18-month extension to the deadline to conduct technical analysis and policy implementation that is needed to ensure communities can be densified appropriately and without exacerbating potentially hazardous conditions.Military culture reform is key to fix recruitment ‘death spiral’: minister

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