What Proven Solutions Exist?
The Dos and Don'ts of Housing Solutions
in One Place for Media, Public, Academics, Builders, Urban Planners
& Governments.
Cut Taxes, Fees and Red Tape Regulations on Home Builders and Rental Providers...
Did you know builders wait 250 days to get a "construction permit" in Canada, three times slower than the US? ๐
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Most people don’t realize how complicated and expensive building or renovating a home has become. Government building codes and regulations have grown so large, costly and complex that they are now a major barrier to housing.
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The BC government rules are 1,908 pages long -- a stack 8 inches or 23 cm high. On top are various civic building requirements that also conflict with one another, because different government departments don't coordinate.
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An East Vancouver home builder’s viral tweet thread shows city staff highlighted the costs passed to consumers when city staff required an expensive arborist (tree expert) report for a simple bathroom renovation.
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Ontario Building Code's legal "summary" is a whopping 664 pages but the whole Code is 2,262 pages. This is almost Guinness World Record length for longest book — 2,400 pages.
Compare this to 1976, when Canada built the most housing ever at 273,200. Back then, the national building code was only 198 pages long!
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Regulatory Onslaught
Rethink Accessibility Rules
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The BC Government rolled back a requirement that 100% of all housing built be accessible for those with mobility challenges after architects warned that could add $75,000 in costs per home. Rooms, like bedrooms, kitchens or bathrooms must be made larger to accommodate wheelchairs or walkers.
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A more measured policy would be to ensure a smaller percentage of new apartments can be made adaptable for wheelchairs. Why make 100% of homes fully accessible when approximately 10% of Canadians have mobility challenges?
Pause on Building
Rule Changes?
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Governments are introducing new rules on accessibility, earthquake safety (seismic), and “net zero” green building regulations— without consulting builders, checking if local suppliers can keep up, or doing any proper cost analysis.
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Government's recent seismic regulations added five million in construction costs to a six-storey building, said Adam Cooper, Director of Community Planning and Development, Abstract Developments.
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BC Hydro lacks capacity to supply all the extra electricity for government's green goal demands, say engineering experts. We import about 25% of our electrical power from the US and elsewhere annually.
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Long-time NDP supporter and director of the new BC Coalition for Affordable Energy Bill Tieleman slams the BC government for forcing builders and businesses into more costly electricity upgrades rather than less expensive, high efficiency natural gas.
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Now the City of Victoria wants to "regulate" existing building emissions. ๐คฆโ๏ธ๐คฆโ๏ธ
California just froze addition of any new building code regulations
for the state & cities
for SIX YEARS.
Regulatory Onslaught,
says Builder
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Quadra Homes builder VP Shawn Bouchard notes the BC government's Energy Step Code (regulatory carbon reduction changes) adds as much as $25,000 in costs to each new home. “That’s gonna take 114 years to pay back on the energy savings — so why are we doing this?” he told Western Standard News.
Credit: Seismic rules cost increase chart (Storeys)
New Indigenous BC Heritage Act adds $20K to $80K in costs per home
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The BC government's new Heritage Act provisions to include costly Indigenous archaelogical assessments, including "intangible values" on public and private land.
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The Union of BC Municipalities claims they had no consultation on
these changes.
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"Heritage site assessments had added costs of $20,000 to $80,000 for each house in rebuilding fire-ravaged Lytton. There were delays of 18 months in getting even the most routine permits." - UBCM president, Trish Mandewo.
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Business groups are now calling out the government for the costs and permitting delays of this sweeping new legislation impacting private property.
Read more below.
Poco Mayor, Kelowna City Staff & Vancouver Homebuilder Question Premier Eby's BC Heritage Act Amendments
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City of Kelowna staff are also criticizing the BC Government’s proposed amendments to the BC Heritage Act, featured in the Vancouver Sun. Columnist Vaughn Palmer reports the changes would:
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Require local governments and private landowners to pay for costly Indigenous archaeological assessments before any development.
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Expand “heritage” beyond physical sites to include “intangible cultural values.”
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Impose new and greater consultation and accommodation obligations with Indigenous nations.
For example, in Kelowna (2025):-
53 capital projects referred to a local First Nation. Of those, 52 required archaeological assessments.
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Only one minor artifact was found, on a known archaeological site. Costs weren't provided.
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Additional concerns raised by Kelowna staff:
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Some First Nations are allegedly insisting archaeological work be done by preferred, single-source contractors.
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Greater independence was needed, stating work should not be done by First Nation-owned companies or directly appointed contractors.
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Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West told the Globe and Mail:
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The BC Government's proposed amendments would require a heritage permit for nearly any ground-breaking activity, including roads, utilities, pump stations, playgrounds, and recreation centres.
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Unlike the Cowichan court decision, these changes are provincial policy, not court-imposed.
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He warns of severe economic impacts, slowed development, and reduced investment to the province.
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Homebuilder Kevin Layden (President/CEO Wesbild) advised:
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He supports heritage protection but argues the amendments will increase complexity, delays, and costs, adding to months of existing provincial delays. Vaughn Palmer rightly asks how Premier David Eby can reconcile: broader, costlier heritage regulations while promising faster approvals for housing and development.
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Legal expert Tom Isaac, speaking to the Globe and Mail:
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Says the amendments could affect every property owner, knowingly or not.
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Warns they undermine certainty, stability, and predictability, essential for investment.
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Criticizes expanding heritage from physical sites to intangibles like stories and spiritual connections.
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"Prior to the amendments, if you found a midden site or a site where there was a campground, or bones, or artifacts, they’re physical. The proposed amendment apparently is to include intangibles, like stories, and spiritual connectedness to the land for Indigenous peoples. How can you possibly ask private landowners to protect stories and other spiritual connections to land on their private property?"
UPDATE: The BCNDP have postponed controversial amendments to the BC Heritage Act but critics find the existing legislation is still problematic, adding development delays and six-figure bills to landowners for indigenous archeological assessments.
- BIV NEWS, Jan. 20, 2026
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Video: The Long & Short of Housing Woes
Watch our full-length two minute video or our 30-second short to learn more about the regulatory burdens on housing and how they add costs for home buyers and renters. Share if you care!
