FAQs

The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a federal program administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to help municipalities across Canada eliminate barriers to residential development and build more homes that are affordable, diverse and climate-resilient.

The City applied to the HAF program in August 2023. The City was short-listed and subsequently awarded $10.4 million based on its action plan to support the delivery of more housing locally. 

Based on their assessment of the City's application, CMHC identified a target of 282 HAF-funded units for Campbell River. This means that by the end of the three-year funding agreement, the City must demonstrate that 282 housing units have been constructed. Additionally, it is estimated that because of the City’s HAF Action Plan and seven key initiatives, approximately 1,200 units could be permitted during this period. That means that in the years following the City's three-year HAF funding agreement, the rapid delivery of housing will continue.

 For more information about CMHC’s HAF program, visit: cmhc-schl.gc.ca/professionals/project-funding-and-mortgage-financing/funding-programs/all-funding-programs/housing-accelerator-fund/housing-accelerator-fund-progress. 

1. Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Strategy 

ADUs include secondary suites (units that are attached to principle dwellings), detached garden suites (single story) and carriage homes (two storeys). Recently, the Province of BC introduced legislation (Bill 44) requiring local governments to amend zoning bylaws to permit ADUs almost everywhere in the province. 

Did you know that the City of Campbell River’s (the City’s) existing housing stock is comprised of approximately 70 per cent single-family housing? That means there are ample opportunities to gently densify these existing areas with ADUs.

We’ll prepare a user-friendly guide to explain what’s permitted under the regulations and walk residents through the process of obtaining a building permit from the City.

 2. Missing Middle Zoning Strategy

Missing middle housing includes townhomes, triplexes, duplexes, and house-plexes. It’s housing that is generally considered more affordable to middle-incomer earners than single-detached homes. 

As per Bill 44, the Province has directed local government to amend zoning bylaws to permit increased density on lots that are currently zoned for single family or duplex zoning. In Campbell River, this will mean that up to four units will be permitted on lots that currently only have single family or duplex uses. In many cases, rezoning will still be required for townhomes.  

We’ll be conducting an infrastructure readiness assessment to determine which areas of Campbell River are best-suited for missing middle housing, now and in the future. We’ll also be preparing educational materials and guides to help residents navigate the new legislation and regulations. 

 3. Parking Regulations 

The City often receives requests to vary parking requirements, particularly the requirement to provide off-street parking. Parking is expensive to build and providing for sufficient parking can be a barrier to development. However, not providing enough parking for a development can have negative impacts on neighbourhoods. 

We’ll assess parking demand for various residential uses in areas close to village centres, downtown and along frequent transit corridors. This will help us consider whether adjusting parking requirements may be appropriate in some areas and if such changes could help increase the availability of housing units (by incentivizing development) and decrease the cost of those units (by removing the expense of building parking). 

 4. Development Approval Review Process (DAPR) 

The City has already begun to make improvements to the development approvals process:

• Concurrent Zoning and Development Permit (DP) applications and early submission and review of engineering drawings are now allowed. 
• All DPs are now routed to the Director of Development services.
• The City’s Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw has been updated.

 In addition, in 2023, the Province of BC removed the default requirement for local governments to hold public hearings for zoning bylaw amendments that are consistent with official community plans.

 We’ll modernize the City’s development application processing procedures using the latest technology, including e-permitting, and streamline development permit approvals for non-market and purpose-built rental housing.

5. City Land Strategy 

The City’s Housing Needs Report (2020) identified of the need for more non-market rental housing. The City’s rental vacancy rate has fluctuated over recent years. In October 2023, it was 0.9 per cent (CMHC Rental Market Survey, 2024). According to best practice, a healthy rental vacancy rate is between 3 to 5 per cent.

Several organizations in Campbell River provide non-market housing, and the City has been working with local non-profit housing providers to address barriers. However, long waitlists, the availability of developable land, and funding are impacting the delivery of non-market housing.

To address these challenges, the City will develop a Civic Land Strategy to support housing development and other City priorities. The strategy will help identify and prioritize properties that are conducive to development, and will establish criteria to guide strategic land purchases and sales, partnerships, and develop policy to prioritize servicing improvements that will facilitate future housing development policy to prioritize servicing improvements that will facilitate future housing development and development of lands for other public benefit. 

 6. Financial Tools to Incentivize Development

The City will undertake a comprehensive review of its Development Cost Charges Bylaw to explore ways to reduce fees for affordable and non-market housing to incentivize affordable housing projects. Other incentives that will be considered may include a reduction in application fees for affordable and non-market housing.

 7. Multi-Family Housing and Transit Oriented Development 

Transit oriented development (TOD) is an approach to land use planning that locates higher-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of frequent transit services. TOD typically incorporates a variety of land uses, including residential, ground-floor commercial (i.e., retail, business, etc.) and, sometimes, community amenities such as daycares, community centres and recreational facilities. The intent is to build more multi-family housing that’s close to transit service and frequently used amenities that support residents’ daily needs.

We’ll explore ways to encourage development of various types of medium and high-density multi-family housing, including:

• Rental housing
• Non-market housing
• Seniors’ housing
• Transit-oriented housing along the Dogwood Street transit corridor

There is a direct relationship between the City of Campbell River’s (the City’s) Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan, Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw. The OCP, which is a land use policy document, and the HAF Action Plan both provide frameworks to assist with increasing housing supply. The City’s Zoning Bylaw is the regulatory tool used to implement the OCP. Recent legislative changes mean that municipalities must now plan for 20-year growth in their OCPs, and OCPs must now be updated every five years. We’ll be looking at the City’s Zoning Bylaw and OCP as we work through the seven key initiatives of our HAF Action Plan.

The City of Campbell River’s  (the City’s) Housing Strategy defines Affordable Housing as “shelter costs [that] are equal to less than 30% of total before-tax household income.” This is in line with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC’s) definition of affordable housing.

There are various types of affordable housing:

• Rental
• Ownership
• Co-operative ownership
• Temporary housing
• Permanent housing 

As part of its Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) agreement with CMHC, the City’s HAF Action Plan aims to remove barriers and accelerate the growth of the local housing supply — including affordable housing.