Cut Housing

Housing legislation implementation: zoning and legal work

Money to carry out the Province's 2023 housing laws. In December 2024 Council replaced $165,000 over three years with $30,000 over two.

Amount
$165,000
Got
$30,000
Where it stands
Cut by $135,000. Dec 2024: the $55,000 a year already in the plan for 2025, 2026 and 2027 was replaced with $10,000 in 2025 and $20,000 in 2026.

What it is

On November 2, 2023 the Province announced housing legislation — Bill 44 and the related statutes — requiring municipalities to rezone for small-scale multi-unit housing and update their plans.

The Town set up a strategic initiative to do that work: zoning updates and legal fees. The 2024–2028 Financial Plan carried $55,000 a year for 2025, 2026 and 2027, which is $165,000.

On December 11, 2024 Council renamed the item and replaced that money with $10,000 in 2025 and $20,000 in 2026 — $30,000 in total, a cut of $135,000.

What happened

  1. November 8, 2023Council directs that the Land Use and Subdivision Bylaw be amended before June 2024 in line with the Province's November 2, 2023 housing announcement. Unanimous.
  2. February 7, 2024Council receives the Bill 44 implementation workplan and sends a letter to the Premier and the Minister of Housing. Carried 4–1, Councillor Harrison opposed.
  3. June 26, 2024Council adopts the new Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2024. Unanimous.
  4. September 11, 2024Council moves $10,000 of the 2024 provision to the Quality of Life Survey, reducing this item's 2024 budget to $45,000.
  5. December 11, 2024The $55,000 a year for 2025, 2026 and 2027 is replaced with $10,000 in 2025 and $20,000 in 2026.

Why it matters

  • The bulk of the required rezoning was done in the 2024 Zoning Bylaw, which may be why less money was set aside afterwards. The minutes do not say so.

Sources

Last checked October 3, 2026. Report a mistake.