Provincial Housing & Financial Regulations
Learn more about provincial regulations that aim to help deliver more affordable homes faster and provide key services, infrastructure, and amenities.
Recent provincial legislation impacts how we plan neighbourhoods in Surrey. This legislation introduced several changes that address the supply and affordability of housing, improve construction timelines, and support livable communities.
In the fall of 2023, the Provincial Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Housing adopted regulations that affect all municipalities in BC. These laws are some of the most significant changes to the Local Government Act in decades.
Overview
The following provides an overview of the regulations, helpful resources, and the City's next steps.
Bill 44: Residential development
The purpose of this bill is to try to make it easier and quicker to build a wider variety of housing in areas that were traditionally only single family or duplex homes.
The regulation requires local governments to update zoning bylaws to allow Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) on any lots currently zoned for a single family home or duplex. Under the regulation, you wouldn't need to rezone a lot to build SSMUH, if it is compliant with the zone and provincial policies. The number of SSMUH that will be permitted on a lot varies with the lot size and location.
Examples of SSMUH:
- Secondary suites in single family dwellings or duplexes;
- Detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) like garden suites or laneway homes;
- Duplexes (side-by-side, back-to-back, or up/down);
- Triplexes and house-plexes; and
- Row homes.
Resources
- Provincial Policy Manual & Site Standards
- News release: Regulations, policy manuals issued to help deliver more homes for people faster
Next steps
- Updates to the City's Zoning Bylaw for all single family and duplex zones, including off-street parking provisions in keeping with the Provincial SSMUH requirements was approved on July 8, 2024.
- Complete interim Housing Needs Report by December 31, 2024.
- Update the City's Official Community Plan (OCP) to comply with provincial requirements by December 31, 2025.
Read more about zoning updates for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing.
Bill 46: Development finance
As new housing is built, the City will need to add or improve existing infrastructure and amenities. The regulation provides new and expanded tools for the City to use to fund growth. The bill:
- Provides governments with a new tool to collect amenity cost charges (ACCs). These ACCs can be used to pay for facilities or features that provide social, culture, heritage, recreational or environmental benefits to a community. Examples include: a community, youth, or seniors' centre, recreational or athletic facility, library, daycare facility, and a public square.
- Expands the services that Development Cost Charges (DCCs) can fund. In addition to collecting DCCs for water, sewer, drainage, and roads, the City can now collect DCCs for solid waste and recycling facilities, fire protection services and police facilities.
Resources
Next steps
- Prepare a new ACC bylaw, anticipated completion in 2025.
- Amend DCC bylaw and submit for Ministry of Municipal Affairs approval.
Bill 47: Transit-Oriented Areas (TOAs)
Bill 47 establishes density standards for development near transit stations.
In November 2023, the provincial government passed legislation to support the creation of more housing near transit in communities across B.C. The legislation establishes “Transit-Oriented Areas” in the following areas:
- Within 800 metres of existing and under construction SkyTrain stations , and
- Within 400 metres of bus exchanges.
TOAs will concentrate housing near transit and amenities to foster vibrant urban environments. This encourages walking, cycling, and public transit use. This approach allows people to live, work, and play close to home and transit.
Developing within TOAs
Within TOAs, municipalities must approve developments up to the densities set by the Province. However, there may be conditions that limit how much density can be achieved on a site or what type of development can occur. Conditions may include:
- Specific land uses such as residential, commercial, or office within the densities set by the Province.
- All or a portion of residential uses be rental.
- The densities may be limited by federal or provincial legislation, as well as by the City's bylaws, policies, or regulations.
In addition, municipalities can no longer require residential off-street parking within TOAs. The result is the amount of parking provided by developers is more likely to reflect the actual demand for the area. This supports more housing by reducing the cost of construction.
Surrey's progress on TOAs
Municipalities are required to update bylaws, plans, and policies to incorporate TOAs. Work completed to date includes:
- An update to the Official Community Plan (OCP) to designate each TOA, complete with a map of each TOA, was approved on June 10, 2024.
- An update to the Zoning Bylaw to eliminate residential off-street parking requirements within TOAs was adopted on June 10, 2024.
Learn more
Several land use plans are now being updated to reflect Bill 47 legislation. Learn more on the project pages:
Learn more
Visit the provincial website for more details on the local government housing initiatives.
