158 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

We had a gentleman’s agreement for some time, in Victoria at least, that council would be sympathetic to allowing higher densities and taller buildings downtown, to lessen pressure on drastically altering SFD neighbourhoods that developed the character that make them so appealing.

I’ve always loved the leafy, slow pace character of Fairfield, for example, but never felt I should be able to afford a home there. I could appreciate it for what it was, knowing that the fee for entry was high and not practical for most of us.

Now we fast forward to today, and the notion is you should by-right have the opportunity to live anywhere you want, and it doesn’t matter if the character that drew you to the place is changed or damaged or done away with, the status of success is more units and a diversity of units, with character not even an honest consideration.

The inevitable outcome is going to lead to more strata-titled gated communities that can maintain control over their character outright, and limit access. Much like urban shopping areas springing up on large commercial lots, where access can be controlled and decorum maintained.

Some laughed at downtown gates and fencing in the 2010s as a fad. We even had people forcing stratas to open gates of public amenity areas that were proving difficult to maintain. Today, the City itself says gates and fencing are a part the urban fabric.

[dasmo]

It's just the ongoing history of this place. It's the foundation it is built on. 

[Victoria Watcher]

Ya we shall see. I don’t think anyone that can afford a new home in south Fairfield has no car. And these things are aimed so they have no parking.

Do you know ANYONE that owns their own home and a car but does not have a parking spot?

Do you know ANYONE that rents a new place, has a car, but no parking space?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 October 2025 - 12:37 PM.

[Mike K.]

^yup, for the latter!

They do rent stalls from others in their building, though. No onsite parking is not popular here. We were sort of led to believe that MMHI projects sold without parking on-site would be popular because of the lower cost, but uptake is slow, so the discount isn’t resonating like it should.

[aastra]

There are some houses in Victoria that have never had a driveway or on-property parking. The owners and/or tenants would always have needed to park their vehicles on the street. Not a lot of examples, but I know there are some in Vic West and some in Bank St. school area. I saw one the other day in another neighbourhood where just about every other house had either a driveway or at least one of those vintage basement garage doors where the "driveway" is so short you wouldn't even be able to park a Smart car there without blocking the sidewalk.

[Mike K.]

Or the driveway has such a steep decline across a five meter length that you’d never get the car out of the garage if you got it in.

[Victoria Watcher]

^yup, for the latter!

They do rent stalls from others in their building, though. No onsite parking is not popular here. We were sort of led to believe that MMHI projects sold without parking on-site would be popular because of the lower cost, but uptake is slow, so the discount isn’t resonating like it should.

Ya that doesn’t count. There are no parking stalls for rent in South Fairfield. All the people renting basement suites there are street parking.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 October 2025 - 01:17 PM.

[Mike K.]

There are people renting at the new building on Catherine who appear to use street parking. Those are not cheap units.

[Victoria Watcher]

Like at that Elk Lake building. Normandy? Ruined that side street.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 October 2025 - 01:24 PM.

[Mike K.]

We’ll see how it goes. 27 units, I think?

Much, much less than 1:1 parking.

[dasmo]

Why stop there? I can show you the very first egregious upzoning that happened in the CRD. Also with it's trickery on the local population to go along with it. 

No one is interested in this? I'm too predictable I guess.... 

[aastra]

 

I'm too predictable I guess.... 

 

I knew you were going to say that.

[Victoria Watcher]

Saanich council received its latest housing target update Monday, showing the district continues to trail the province’s year-two goal but has sharply accelerated approvals that could boost completions in the months ahead.

 

From Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, Saanich recorded 515 new homes built, with 73 units lost to demolition for a total of 442 net new homes, equal to 73 per cent of the province’s 601-unit target for the period, according to a staff report.

 

Across the first two years of the five-year order, Saanich has delivered 810 net units toward a cumulative target of 1,040, equal to 78 per cent of the goal set under B.C.’s Housing Supply Act.

 

The district’s five-year mandate remains 4,610 net new homes by 2028.

 

While completions lag, staff say Saanich has made “significant progress” to increase future supply. The number of homes approved at the development permit stage more than doubled year over year — from 311 in the first reporting year to 639 in year two.

 

In total, 950 units have now cleared development permits, and 1,708 have building permits, incidcating a large number of new homes moving toward construction.

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...-surge-1286075/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 October 2025 - 11:16 AM.

[Mike K.]

…but has sharply accelerated approvals that could boost completions in the months ahead.

Years ahead, not months.

[Victoria Watcher]

Saanich has fallen short of its two-year housing targets from the province, but the gap is expected to close, with hundreds of homes set to be completed in the next two years, district staff say.

 

The most populous municipality in the capital region — home to about 112,000 people as of the 2021 census — was told to complete 4,600 homes by 2028.

 

That includes 1,041 net-new homes in the first two years of the five-year housing plan.

 

A staff report, however, shows that Saanich has met just under 78 per cent of the housing target so far.

 

Saanich housing manager Pam Hartling said the district has built 810 of the 1,041 net-new homes required over the two-year period.

 

Since Oct. 1, 2023, Saanich has issued 946 new occupancy permits, of which 521 were for studio or one-bedroom units. The rest were for two bedrooms or more. During that period, 136 units were lost to demolition, for a net of 810.

 

 

 

Of the 946 new units, 251 were market ownership, 439 were market rentals and 156 were non-market or below market, according to the district.

 

 

https://www.timescol...target-11421184

[Love the rock]

Targets are stupid . Hey we have an apartment you can rent . Sorry there’s no parking  for the building streets are jammed with cars if your lucky enough to get a spot .. Cars back ups  flood the streets getting worse all the time partly because the speed limits are all over the place some due less lanes because of bike lanes and larger population. Schools are full no available doctors wait at the hospitals is, staggering to see someone .Its not uncommon to have 30  or more people waiting before you .

Let’s  be honest with people you might be able to rent an apartment a lot of services we already have are not  adequate  right now . 

[Mike K.]

We may want to ease up on land use policies mandated by the province until the Cowichan Tribes issue is settled. Housing policy will not necessarily match the new OCPs we are rolling out in haste, or possibly misalign with Bill 44.

[Victoria Watcher]

Only two years into a five-year provincial housing mandate, the City of Victoria is nearly halfway to meeting the housing goals set by the province.

 

 

[...]

 

 

Mayor Marianne Alto said one of the things missing in the housing targets is a requirement for cities to provide shelters.

 

“There are no mandates for shelters. There should be. No one wants to put people in a shelter, but oftentimes it’s the only option when you have nothing else,” she said.

 

“So, if in fact there is a continuum of housing, there should also be mandates for every municipality on shelter units.”

 

 

https://www.timescol...argets-11486028

Edited by Victoria Watcher, Today, 03:40 PM.

[LJ]

Pixx off Alto, you started it, you handle it.