BC Housing Report

27,032 New Dwelling Units Needed in 2022
(Actually 150,636 homes were needed)

The population growth was significantly higher than originally projected by Statistics Canada. In British Columbia between January 2022 to April 2023 the population grew by 436,843 people. We revisited our projected statistics an added the actual numbers in RED for the 15 month period.

One of the biggest social issues facing our communities is housing. It is hard to use the term ‘Affordable Housing’ anymore because of the extreme price increases in real estate over the last number of years. Whether housing is affordable or not, it is desperately needed. Some may look at the problem of homelessness as being a problem for those with addictions or mental health issues. While this may be the case with some in this situation, more and more pressure is being put on families with low to middle incomes, and this is resulting in homelessness. Sadly, for many families putting food on the table and providing the essentials of life are daily challenges, and housing is becoming one of the foremost concerns.

The following statistics show some of the current figures in regards to housing needs in Canada and British Columbia.

Housing Statistics

NOTE: The statistics below have been updated in RED to show the actual growth compared tot he original projected growth.

Population of Canada as of 2021 Census: 36,991,981

Projected Population by January 2023: 37,572,000 (As of June 16, 2023 the actual population reached 40 million)

Projected Increase: 580,000 (Actual increase was 2,428,000 people, over 4x more than projected)

Population to Growth ratio 1 new citizen for every 64 (Actual ratio 1:15) current residents, either through birth or immigration

Average persons per household 2.9

For every 185 (Actual 44) people 1 new dwelling will be required to accommodate the current growth rate for 2022

The population of BC according to the 2021 Census was 5,000,879 (As of April 1, 2023 the population of BC reached 5,437,722). This means for BC to provide it’s share of housing they would need to provide 27,032 (Actual required 150,636) new dwelling units with the capability of housing 2.9 persons per dwelling

In December 2021 New Homes Registry Report showed that 53,189 new homes were registered in BC in 2021, the highest yearly total since data has been collected and a 67.5% increase over 2020. (51,407 homes were registered in 2022)

What is the population of your community? Take that number and divide it by 185 (44) to see how many new dwellings need to be provided in your area in just the next year.

Examples of Housing Needed Across British Columbia

City - Population - Population as of 2021 Census - New Dwellings Needed in 2022 (Actual required)
Abbotsford: 153,524 (2021) 830 dwellings (3,489)
Burnaby: 249,125 (2021) 1,347 dwellings (5,662)
Campbell River: 40,704* (2021) 220 dwellings (925)
Castlegar: 8,338 (2021) 45 dwellings (190)
Chilliwack: 113,767* (2021) 615 dwellings (2,586)
Coquitlam: 148,625 (2021) 803 dwellings (3,378)
Courtenay: 63,282* (2021) 342 dwellings (1,438)
Cowichan Valley and District: 74,521 (2021) 403 dwellings (1,694)
Cranbrook: 27,040* (2021) 146 dwellings (615)
Dawson Creek: 17,878* (2021) 97 dwellings (406)
Duncan: 47,582* (2021) 257 dwellings (1,081)
Fort St. John: 28,729* (2021) 155 dwellings (653)
Kamloops: 114,142* (2021) 617 dwellings (2,594)
Kelowna: 144,576 (2021) 781 dwellings (3,286)
Ladysmith: 15,501* (2021) 84 dwellings (352)
Lake Country: 15,817 (2021) 85 dwellings (359)
Langford: 46,584 (2021) 252 dwellings (1,059)
Langley and District: 161,566 (2021) 873 dwellings (3,672)
Merritt: 7,051 (2021) 38 dwellings (160)
Mission: 41,519 (2021) 224 dwellings (944)
Nanaimo: 115,459* (2021) 624 dwellings (2,624)
Nelson: 19,119* (2021) 103 dwellings (435)
North Vancouver and District: 146,288 (2021) 791 dwellings (3.324)
Oak Bay: 17,990 (2021) 97 dwellings (409)
Parksville: 31,054 (2021) 168 dwellings (706)
Penticton: 47,380* (2021) 256 dwellings (1,077)
Port Alberni: 25,786* (2021) 139 dwellings (586)
Port Coquitlam: 61,498 (2021) 332 dwellings (1,398)
Powell River: 17,825* (2021) 96 dwellings (405)
Prince George: 89,490* (2021) 484 dwellings (2,034)
Prince Rupert: 13,442* (2021) 73 dwellings (306)
Quesnel: 23,113* (2021) 125 dwellings (525)
Revelstoke: 8,275 (2021) 45 dwellings (188)
Richmond: 209,937 (2021) 1,135 dwellings (4,771)
Salmon Arm: 19,705* (2021) 107 dwellings (448)
Salt Spring Island: 11,635 (2021) 63 dwellings (264)
Squamish: 24,232* (2021) 131 dwellings (551)
Summerland: 12,042 (2021) 65 dwellings (274)
Surrey 568,322: (2021) 3,072 dwellings (12,916)
Terrace: 19,606* (2021) 106 dwellings (446)
Trail: 14,268* (2021) 77 dwellings (324)
Vancouver 662,248: (2021) 3,580 dwellings (15,051)
Vernon: 67,086* (2021) 363 dwellings (1,525)
Victoria: 91,867 (2021) 497 dwellings (2,088)
West Kelowna: 36,078 (2021) 195 dwellings (820)
West Vancouver: 44,122 (2021) 238 dwellings (1,003)
Whistler: 13,982 (2021) 76 dwellings (318)
White Rock: 21,939 (2021) 119 dwellings (499)
Williams Lake: 23,608* (2021) 128 dwellings (537)

*Indicates Census metropolitan area

Some Obstacles to Providing Housing

Available land for development: While efforts have been made to open up land to development, it has been a ‘too little, too late’ situation. The Government of BC has made some efforts to open up land for housing, for example allowing second dwellings on ALR land. More needs to be done at the Federal, Provincial and Municipal level to be more aggressive in opening up new land. Currently the shortage of land is leading to typical single family properties being priced at twice the price they were just a few years ago.

Cost and availability of building supplies: COVID-19, natural disasters, and lack of labor have all contributed to unprecedented shortages of basic building materials. Commodity investors have also driven up prices of base materials such as lumber which have added tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a typical home.

NIMBYism: Too often the voice of individuals complaining about a loss of views, keeping neighborhoods quiet, preserving heritage, or keeping the status quo, has won out over the need for providing housing. NIMBY, an acronym for NOT IN MY BACK YARD, is a serious social problem. The belief that protecting the comfort of individuals should be more important than providing housing is an antiquated philosophy that has contributed to the very problem we now face.

Labor Shortages and Lack of Skilled Trades: A common cry in the construction industry is the need for more skilled and competent labor. This is a problem in every sector of the industry, from employees working in the local building suppliers to professionals providing design or engineering services.

Real Estate Speculation: One of the most direct problems associated with the price of land is the problem of land speculation. Investors with deep pockets can quickly purchase property when it becomes available and then almost immediately turn around and resell the property at significant price increases. It is not unusual to see properties resold for twice the original price within a month of the original purchase. The end result of this is the consumer bears the extra cost.

Bureaucratic Obstacles: Rezoning and Development Permitting processes can be time consuming and slow down development significantly. Recently the BC Government made adjustments to the Municipal Act to allow for streamlined processes for Rezoning and Development without the need for Council approval. It remains to be seen whether municipalities will take advantage of these new provisions.