Premier David Eby says it’s a mistake to see any city’s placement on a list of communities that need to do more to increase housing — which includes Victoria and Langford — as a judgment about what they’ve done to date.
Last week, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon released a list of 10 municipalities — including Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay — that he said will need to meet certain targets for approving a mix of housing. The housing targets will be set this summer and municipalities will have six months to show progress.
With the province facing a housing crisis, Eby says now is not the time for any community to press pause on development. But while Singapore has done a great job of ensuring housing for residents, Eby said expats living in Singapore and working for large banks report having a “profoundly difficult time finding housing,” citing 100 per cent rent increases because there is no rent control.