VANCOUVER – Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is calling on the Province of British Columbia to secure a housing and infrastructure agreement with the federal government similar to that of Ontario that would see lower development costs as a way to move housing projects forward.
Last week, the federal government and Province of Ontario signed an agreement, with each committing $4.4 billion to fund new infrastructure, enabling municipalities to reduce development charges by up to 50 per cent.
“The agreement in Ontario offers a template for funding infrastructure and lowering the cost of building,” said Sim in a statement. “We need a similar deal here in B.C., one that sees the province match federal funds dollar-for-dollar to reduce development charges directly so projects can continue moving forward.”
Vancouver City Council has attempted to reduce red tape, accelerate approvals and cut development costs levies by 20 per cent, Sim explains, but slowing construction activity persists.
“Vancouver has done the work to lower building costs and speed up approvals. As a result, we’ve seen decades-high rental delivery in 2025 and rents declining over the past two years,” said Sim.
“We can’t afford to lose that progress.”
Recent increases in Metro Vancouver’s regional development charges have also underscored the need for a co-ordinated provincial-federal solution.
“We know the only way to improve long-term affordability is to keep building more homes,” said Sim. “This is a window of opportunity for the province to partner with the federal government and municipalities to lower costs and deliver the homes people need.”