More Comox BC Real Estate is Needed According to the B.C. Government

The housing crunch in Comox, BC, is getting real attention from more than just the locals. The B.C. government recently added all three Comox Valley communities, including Courtenay, Cumberland, and Comox, to its latest round of Housing Target Orders. That means the province is officially asking these towns to step up their efforts in providing more Comox BC real estate.

What Does This Mean for Comox BC Real Estate?

In Courtenay, Mayor Bob Wells seems confident the city is already well on its way. With a sizeable zoning shift in 2022, Courtenay opened the door to more small-scale, multi-unit housing. Over 60 per cent of the city’s properties can now hold up to four units. Since 2021, nearly 1,700 new homes have been added, and 625 of those came just last year.

Mayor Wells says working smart with developers and other levels of government has kept the momentum going. His main concern, however, is Infrastructure. More homes mean more pressure on local services, and Courtenay will need help from both provincial and federal partners to keep up.

Cumberland’s Mayor Vickey Brown has been more cautious about being added to the target list. While she acknowledges the need for housing, she’s concerned that being on the province’s target list could push the village into developing homes that don’t suit the population’s needs. Brown argues that simply building more market-based housing doesn’t guarantee affordability, especially in a place where home prices have jumped 54 per cent. The village has been pushing for support on affordable housing for years, but without action from BC Housing, the community remains stuck waiting.

Comox, for now, is still waiting on its official housing target. But according to Jordan Wall, the town’s Chief Administrative Officer, they’ve been preparing. From modernizing bylaws to updating their Official Community Plan, Comox is laying the groundwork to respond once targets are set. They’re also putting a big focus on involving the community in that process.

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What’s clear across the Comox Valley is that the demand for homes is rising, and all three towns are feeling the pressure to grow. For anyone watching the Comox BC real estate market, this is worth paying attention to. Contact me today for more info about the changes to real estate in the valley. I look forward to working with you in the near future. Don’t forget to check out my social media for news and updates.