TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: July 21, 2025 Report No. DEV-25-035
TO: Councill
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: Statutory Year 1 Provincial Housing Targets Report Form
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council:
1. Pursuant to Section 4 (3) (a) of the Housing Supply Act, receive the Year 1 Housing Target Progress Report Form attached as Appendix “A” to staff report DEV-25-035;
2. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer or his delegate to, as soon as practicable, publish the report on the Township of Esquimalt’s website; and
3. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer or his delegate to, as soon as practicable, submit the report to the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On June 25, 2024, the Minister of Housing issued an Order pursuant to the Housing Supply Act in relation to the Township of Esquimalt. The Order, which came into effect on July 1, 2024, set out the following cumulative Housing Targets for the Township:
- Year 1: 81
- Year 2: 185
- Year 3: 325
- Year 4: 510
- Year 5: 754
The Township is required to prepare a Housing Target Progress Report Form after six months from the effective date (see staff report DEV-25-004) and then annually thereafter. June 30, 2025, represents the end of the Year 1 reporting. The Year 1 Housing Target Progress Report Form is attached as Appendix “A”. It indicates that a total of 369 net new dwelling units have been built in Esquimalt in the first year - this is well above the Year 1 target of 81 net new dwelling units.
BACKGROUND:
The province put housing targets in place in response to a critical shortage of housing. This program responds to housing supply issues which is only one of many variables contributing to the lack of affordable housing. Municipalities that receive housing target orders are selected by the province based on an analysis of selected index indicators including:
• Dwelling to population ratio
• Dwellings per residential land area
• Density to reach affordability
• Ground-oriented to multi-storey housing ratio
• Renter to ownership ratio
• Housing for workers and families
• Proximity to amenities
• Homelessness count
• Social housing waitlist
• Rural/urban community
Descriptions of each indicator can be found here:
<https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Selection_Index_Indicators.pdf>
The Township of Esquimalt was part of the second cohort of municipalities to receive provincially mandated housing targets. The other two Capital Regional District municipalities in this cohort are the District of Central Saanich and the Town of Sidney. Each of the municipalities that have received a provincial order outlining their housing targets are required to complete a Housing Target Progress Report Form. The Reports must be received by Council, published on the municipality’s website, and submitted to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing within 45 days of the end of the reporting period. The first report was due after six months (see staff report DEV-25-004). Subsequent reports are due annually from the initial start date set out in the order. The province will use these reports to assess compliance with the housing target order. Communities that show a significant negative variance from the target may be subject to increased scrutiny from the province. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing may appoint an advisor to those municipalities that cannot meet their targets.
In addition to the mandated housing targets, the province has also provided the Township with non-mandatory guidance on types of units. These non-mandatory guidelines are based on Unit Size, Unit Tenure, Rental Unit Affordability, and Below-Market Rental Units as follows:
Unit Size:
• Studio/One-Bedroom 523 (with a minimum of 179 one-bedroom units)
• Two Bedroom 121
• Three or more Bedrooms 110
Units by Tenure:
• Rental 510
• Owned 244
Rental Units by Affordability:
• Market 244
• Below-Market 267
Below-Market Rental Units:
With On-site Supports 16
In addition to tracking the mandatory net new dwelling units, the Housing Target Progress Report Form also tracks the non-mandatory guidance targets noted above (Appendix “A”).
ANALYSIS:
In the first six months from July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, a net total of 222 new housing units were completed and ready of occupancy in Esquimalt (see Staff Report DEV-25-004 for details). In the second six months from January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025, a net total of 147 new housing units received occupancy. These included:
- 485 Joffre Street S 6 new units
- 612 Constance Avenue 129 new units
- 910 Old Esquimalt Road 5 new units
- 770 Dominion Road 8 new units
- 314 Uganda Avenue 1 new unit
- 1247 Colville Road 1 new unit
Total 150 new units
Demolition 3 units
Total Net (Jan to Jun 2025) 147 new units
Total Net (Jul to Dec 2024) 222 new units
Year 1 Total Net 369 new units
This brings the total net new units for Year 1 to 369 - well beyond the provincially legislated target of 81 for Year 1. In fact, the number of net new units has surpassed the Year 3 target of 325 net new units.
With approximately 1000 dwelling units currently under construction, the Township should not have any problem meeting its 5-year target. As for the “non-mandatory” guidance targets, it is too early to accurately assess how close the Township is to meeting them.
OPTIONS:
1) That Council, pursuant to Section 4 (3) (a) of the Housing Supply Act, receive the First Year Housing Target Progress Report Form attached as Appendix “A” to staff report DEV-25-035;
That Council authorize the Chief Administrative Officer or his delegate to, as soon as practicable, publish the Report on the Township of Esquimalt’s website; and
That Council authorize the Chief Administrative Officer or his delegate to, as soon as practicable, submit the Report to the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
2) That Council request that staff provide further analysis and present it at the next Council meeting bearing in mind that the statutory deadline for submission of the report to the province is August 14, 2025, therefore a Special Council Meeting would be required to meet the provincially mandated submission deadline.
COUNCIL PRIORITY:
Housing
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There are no direct financial impacts associated with the Housing Targets Progress Report Form.
COMMUNICATIONS/ENGAGEMENT:
The Housing Targets Progress Report Form will be published on the Township’s website as soon as practicable after it has been received by Council.
TIMELINES & NEXT STEPS:
Following Council’s resolution to accept the Year 1 Housing Targets Report Form, it will be published on the Township’s website and a copy of the Report will be sent to the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs. The next Housing Targets Report will be presented to Council in July 2026.
REPORT REVIEWED BY:
1. Sarah Holloway, Manager of Corporate Services, Reviewed
2. Ian Irvine, Director of Finance, Reviewed
3. Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer, Concurrence
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
1. Appendix “A” - Year 1 Housing Target Progress Report Form