Gabriola Housing Advisory Planning Commission Recommendations

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Gabriola Housing Advisory Planning Commission 
Options for increasing the availability and affordability of housing on Gabriola Island, 2024 
The Gabriola HAPC met several times in late 2023 and early 2024 to consider a range of options 
that could be implemented by the Local Trust Committee (LTC) in order to increase the supply 
of housing, and especially affordable housing, on Gabriola Island. The Islands Trust’s Housing 
Options Toolkit
1
 was an important source of information for this exercise.  
Many of the following proposals have the potential to result in increased density on specific 
properties. We propose to the LTC that questions around density should be considered on 
the basis of site-specific parameters, including water availability, septic capacity, ecosystem 
values, ecosystem preservation and restoration plans, and proximity to amenities, and that 
these parameters must be demonstrated by the proponent. Limitations to the number of 
residents on an existing property and on a new development should be considered on the 
basis of these factors rather than on familial relationships.  
 
Proposal Rationale 
1) We ask the LTC to request that Trust 
Council lobby the provincial government 
to extend the Speculation and Vacancy 
Tax
2
 (a.k.a. Empty Homes Tax) to the 
Gabriola Island Trust Area, with the hope 
that it might be extended to all parts of 
the Trust area that agree to it.  
There are dozens if not hundreds of Gabriola 
dwellings that remain empty for most of the year. 
Many of these would be suitable as rental 
accommodations, or if the owners don’t want to 
pay the tax, they might be sold to someone who 
needs a place to live. Revenue from the tax would 
be transferred to an affordable housing fund for 
Gabriola. 
2) We ask the LTC to make changes to 
allow increased density in the Village 
Core
3
 area, by increasing the permitted 
number of dwelling units on all parcels 
over 1 ha.   
If we increase allowable density in the core area 
there should be less pressure to build out to 
maximum possible density in the more rural parts 
of the island. Concentration of density in the core 
area also reduces the need for transportation. 
3) We ask the LTC to increase the number 
of allowed residential units within 
commercial developments. The number of 
units should be proportional to the 
commercial floor area. 
At present only 1 residential unit is allowed on 
each commercial property. Commercial 
developers have made it clear that it is not cost-
effective to build residential units under that 
constraint.      
4) We ask the LTC to proactively up-zone 
suitable properties in the Village Core area 
to allow for market rate multi-family 
residential development with stipulation 
Property owners in the Village Core may be 
encouraged to build multi-family housing.  
 
1
 https://islandstrust.bc.ca/document/housing-options-toolkit-tools-1-10/ 
2
 https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/speculation-vacancy-tax 
3
 Defined in t

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