In recent years, Squamish has witnessed significant demographic and housing changes and housing affordability remains a critical issue in Squamish affecting many in our community from the most vulnerable to those with stable incomes. The 2023 District of Squamish Housing Needs Report (HNR) estimates that in order to address population growth, as well as the existing housing needs, Squamish needs:

• A minimum of 6,840 new housing units are needed by 2031 at a range of affordability levels and sizes in order to meet the housing needs of the community in a high-growth scenario. (The District currently has 1,893 units at the Building Permit stage).
• 42% of these will be needed to serve households earning below $70,000 per year.

We are responding to the need for a diversity of housing types in Squamish so that all residents have the opportunity to thrive here for decades to come. Over the next few years, the District of Squamish will be implementing numerous changes to the housing regulatory framework to comply with recently adopted Provincial legislation, and to implement actions which were identified as part of the successful application to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

These efforts are being led through Squamish Housing Action Plan (SHAP), which outlines 32 actions to be completed over the next three years. Initiatives within the SHAP can be grouped into five key categories:

To align our Official Community Plan (OCP) with the housing targets from the Interim Housing Needs Report completed in December 2024, Council has given First Reading to OCP Amendment Bylaw No. 3139 and is now moving through the formal bylaw adoption process. This Provincially mandated implementation update will incorporate housing policies and targets into our OCP. While this is a legislated and technical update, we’re committed to keeping the community informed every step of the way.

The proposed changes to OCP Bylaw 3139 include the first set of provincially required housing policies and targets. You can review the track changes to Section 12, “Diverse and Affordable Housing,” in Schedule 1 of the bylaw. Proposed revisions are as followed:

The graph below shows how different housing planning steps connect, from figuring out what types of homes Squamish needs to updating our Official Community Plan, to make sure our zoning bylaws allow for more homes to be built. The timelines are set by the Province, and Bylaw 3139 is part of meeting those requirements.

To support more housing in more places, the District is proposing zoning bylaw changes that would allow up to six units on properties within 400 metres walking distance of key transit routes. This proposed change aligns with new provincial legislation (Bill 44), which requires municipalities over 5,000 people to permit small-scale, multi-unit housing in areas previously zoned for single-family or duplex homes. It also advances key actions in the Squamish Housing Action Plan, endorsed by Council in 2024.

To view an overview of the proposed properties for rezoning to allow up to six units, please visit: letstalksquamish.ca/zoning updates

Under the Province of BC's Homes for People program, new legislation was passed to support the expansion of housing supply in British Columbia. Under Bill 44 (Small Scale, Multi-Unit Housing) municipalities must shift towards greater proactive and long-term planning for housing. As part of this municipalities must now:

• Prepare Housing Needs Reports (HNRs) using a standardized provincial method to estimate total number of homes required to meet both five-year and 20-year housing needs.
• Incorporate these needs directly into Official Community Plans (OCPs).
• Align zoning bylaws to accommodate this 20-year housing need, effectively pre-zoning land for future growth.

The District of Squamish has begun implementing these changes. Below is a timeline outlining Bill 44 implementation.