Response from Minister of Housing Regarding Bill 44

Extracted text (beginning)

BRITISH  
COLUMBIA 
 
Office of the 
Minister of Housing 
 
Website: 
www.gov.bc.ca/housing 
 
Mailing Address: 
PO Box 9074 Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria BC  V8W 9E9 
Phone:  236 478-3970 
 
 
Location: 
Parliament Buildings 
Victoria BC  V8V 1X4 
Email:  HOUS.Minister@gov.bc.ca 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
VIA EMAIL            Ref.  63779 
 
 
January 8, 2024 
 
Timothy Peterson, Chair 
Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 
Islands Trust 
1-500 Lower Ganges Road 
Salt Spring Island BC  V8K 2N8 
Email: rpingle@islandstrust.bc.ca; ssiinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
Dear Timothy Peterson: 
 
Thank you for your November 21, 2023, letter regarding the Salt Spring Island Local Trust 
Committee’s (SS LTC) resolution requesting to be included within the Housing Statues 
(Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 (Bill 44) as if it were a municipality. My 
sincere apologies for the delay in response. 
 
I appreciate learning that the SS LTC is interested in being included under the 
requirements of Bill 44 to help address the housing crisis on Salt Spring Island. The 
Province acknowledges that Salt Spring Island, like other Gulf Islands, faces unique 
housing challenges, including a lack of workforce housing and rental accommodation. 
I recognize that the SS LTC has proposed and advanced many actions over the past few 
years through the Housing Action Program to address Salt Spring Island’s housing 
challenges, and I commend the SS LTC for all their work in this area.  
 
 
 
.../2 
 

 
 
Timothy Peterson, Chair 
Page 2 
 
 
As you know, the Province recently passed Bill 44 in the fall of 2023. The Islands Trust Act 
has since been amended to exempt the Islands Trust from all small-scale multi-unit 
housing requirements (SSMUH), including those for secondary suites and accessory 
dwelling units (ADUs). The decision was made to exempt the Islands Trust from SSMUH 
requirements because of the Trust’s special mandate to “preserve and protect the Trust 
area and its unique amenities and environment” and pre-existing limitations to critical 
resources like drinking water and waste disposal. If the SS LTC believes it is in the best 
interest of their community to enable SSMUH, the SS LTC can update its zoning bylaw 
accordingly and follow the Province’s policy manual. It is my understanding that the 
SS LTC is already exploring potential amendments to their zoning bylaw to allow for ADUs 
in certain areas through the proposed Bylaw 530.  
 
The Ministry of Housing has focused on ensuring that the Islands Trust has the 
information they need to inform their decisions around development without requiring 
that additional densities be allowed, which could negatively affect sensitive Island 
ecosystems. This is why the legislation requires the Islands Trust, in addition to all 
municipalities and regional districts, to update their Housing Needs Report using a robust, 
standard method to calculate the total number of homes needed over 20 years. The 
information from the Housing

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