Saanich will fail to meet provincial housing targets this year, but could be on track to meet that target next year, after issuing what the mayor says is more than three times the normal number of permits to build in the 12 months ending September 30.

A progress report on provincially required housing targets, released Monday evening to Saanich council, shows the district issued occupancy permits for only 338 units between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024 .

The provincial target was 440 in the first year – and 4,610 net new units to be completed in five years.

But Mayor Dean Murdock noted that during the same 12-month period, the district issued 1,081 building permits, more than three times what Saanich normally approves in a year. “This will be reflected in the occupancy rate in next year’s report.”

Saanich’s goal for the period from October 1, 2024 to September 2024. On December 30, 2025, it is 1,041 housing units.

Murdock said nearly a third of new building permits issued last year were for below-market housing. “It’s affordable housing at prices people can afford to move into our community.” »

The mayor said Saanich is working to streamline its processes and eliminate red tape to accelerate the pace of development, and the report shows the district is “making good progress.”

“We are seeing a more immediate improvement in the number of planning permissions and building permits issued.”

The report, which the district must submit to the province at the end of each year, notes that Saanich has updated its official community plan to identify areas that support higher density and has undertaken an interdepartmental review of development and rezoning . application process to reduce review and processing times.

Saanich has also increased its workforce and introduced better technology, he says.

Last year, the province set housing targets for B.C. municipalities. Municipalities that meet their goals should obtain provincial funding for amenities such as parks, bike paths and recreation centers.

Murdock said it was important to ensure the district has land use planning policies, an official community plan and “very clear” regulations on the types of housing the council wants to see built in locations where it makes sense to densify and add new residents.

“That clarity of expectations and that certainty about how we want to grow, I think, is conducive to a process that can be much quicker and geared toward approving applications that fit that vision.”

If communities aren’t meeting the goals or haven’t made enough progress to get close to them, the province can appoint an independent advisor to help them.

If that doesn’t work, the province could override the municipality by giving it the power to rezone entire neighborhoods to create more density.

The province said it will determine municipalities’ progress based on their net new units, policy measures, initiatives, innovative approaches and partnerships designed to increase housing supply.

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