Surrey exceeding provincially mandated housing targets

City has advanced more than 10,000 units in the first six months of the order

 

THE City of Surrey announced on Monday that it is exceeding housing targets mandated by the Minister of Housing. In the first six months of the provincial order, Surrey has successfully delivered 2,567 net new housing units and advanced 10,096 units, primarily from rezoning conditional approvals, but also from issued building permits and houseplex development permits in the approval process. This progress positions the city well on its way to fulfill its five-year goal of 27,256 new units by June 2029.

“Surrey is proud to be exceeding our provincially mandated housing targets,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. “As we continue to make strides towards increasing our affordable and accessible housing, it’s vital that the province invests in the necessary infrastructure to support our growing community. It is crucial that there are enough schools, transit and healthcare facilities to support these new homes and residents in order to foster a vibrant and well-supported community.”

Surrey has a substantial number of housing units in various stages of the development approval and construction process. Currently, there are over 44,300 units with rezoning conditional approval awaiting construction and over 13,700 units with issued building permits that are at various stages of construction.

“Surrey is making significant strides in meeting the housing demands of our growing community,” said Councillor Pardeep Kooner, who chairs the Development Approval Process Improvement Task Force. “Our efforts within the Development Approval Process Improvement Task Force are centered on exploring and implementing innovate strategies to further streamline our development processes and enhance efficiencies. By working closely with stakeholders, we can ensure that our housing initiatives not only meet targets but also create vibrant, livable spaces for all residents. We look forward to bringing these strategies forward in the coming months.”

In the past year, Surrey has implemented more than 25 major process improvements aimed at accelerating the approval and development of housing projects. These improvements focus on reducing timelines, increasing efficiency, and supporting the development community in delivering housing more quickly. Some of the key improvements include:

  • Early Excavation for Multi-Family Housing: Introduced a pilot program to allow for excavation building permits to be issued ahead of final adoption of rezoning and development permit issuance which will help facilitate construction of new housing.
  • Simplified Houseplex Development Permit: Introduced a simplified development permit process with reduced fees and faster approvals.
  • Development and Permit Approval Timelines: Introduced Development and Permit Approvals Targets, aiming for a minimum reduction of 30% of permit timelines for all major development types.
  • Incentive Programs: Introduced the Rapid Transit and Non-Market Rental Housing Incentive Programs to accelerate development.
  • Development Task Force: Council approved the establishment of a new task force to examine the City’s development and permit processes and provide advice to Council on suggested process improvements and enhancements.

Click here for a full list of these improvements.

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