A Burnaby resident whose family has lived here for three generations shared with me recently that all of her children had to move to Mission to find homes that met their needs. Now, with a new generation on the way, she and her husband are considering leaving Burnaby themselves, to be closer to their grandchildren and keep their family together.
It was difficult to hear, but it’s a story I encounter quite often - whether visiting homes, meeting community members, or speaking with residents in my office.
Since 1996, Burnaby has grown by more than 70,000 residents. By 2050, our population is projected to increase by another 109,000. To meet this growth, we will need around 74,000 new homes by 2041. Homes that match the needs of our residents and support the businesses and jobs that make our city thrive.
While there is broad agreement that we need more housing density, I have been on record from the beginning, opposing the provincial housing legislation and targets that attempt to address the needs of over five million people and 161 municipalities across British Columbia with a largely one-size-fits-all approach. Burnaby’s housing solutions must be designed for Burnaby, reflect the realities of our community and the aspirations of the people who live and move here.
The solution we’ve been calling for in the City of Burnaby is based on:
Supporting infrastructure
Residential and commercial affordability are deeply interconnected. Homes need to be built in areas with access to essential services such as transit, schools with available capacity, shops, parks, utilities, waste services, high-speed internet, and sufficient parking.
When supporting infrastructure doesn’t keep pace with growth, communities struggle to access the services they rely on, or developers and municipalities must shoulder the cost of building these from scratch. Those costs inevitably get passed on to homeowners and renters through higher housing prices, rents, taxes, and utility bills.
BC Assessment is a great example. Property tax in a neighbourhood is based on the “best use” of land. That means if a six-unit building is developed in a single-family area, surrounding property taxes may rise significantly to reflect the increased land value - even if the neighbouring homes haven’t changed. This lack of attention-to-people has real implications for affordability and equity, especially for long-time residents.
Livability
In my early years after immigrating from Ireland to Canada, I worked as a carpenter building homes. We had a saying: “Measure twice, build once.” That principle is more relevant than ever.
If we’re building on green spaces or reshaping existing neighbourhoods, it must lead to a tangible improvement in the quality of life for the people who live there.
There are nearly 4,000 vacant, unsold housing units in Metro Vancouver - and that’s only what we know about. We don’t need any more of these.
We need to focus on building the right types of homes, in the right places, for the right reasons. Burnaby’s growth must align with the city’s character and meet the needs of residents - whether that’s young families, seniors, or newcomers - while persevering and strengthening the neighbourhoods they call home.
Solutions must be local. That’s the only way we’ll build a Burnaby that works for everyone and improves lives. Which is the very reason I decided to run for public office back in 2018.
Responsibility
There’s often confusion about who does what when it comes to housing, and that confusion can lead to misplaced frustration. Municipalities like ours don’t build homes. We zone land, issue permits, and plan infrastructure to encourage the right kinds of development in the right places.
Developers build where they see opportunity and a viable return on investment. Families and individuals build where they can afford to live and raise their families. The Provincial Government provides wider policy direction and funding for infrastructure. The Federal Government supports through taxation tools, grants, and financial incentives. At least that's how it's supposed to be.
Ultimately, however, it is the municipalities on the ground who understand where the infrastructure is, what our residents need, and understand the very fabric of our neighbourhoods.
Burnaby has already shown that it can deliver sustainable, responsible housing density, leading the way in Canada in terms of transit oriented development. We focused growth in designated town centres which are now thriving hubs of residential, commercial, and transit activity, while preserving surrounding neighbourhoods and green spaces
Through Burnaby’s Home Strategy, launched in 2021, we began updating multi-unit housing and zoning policies to ensure future growth is both balanced and strategic. Well before the province became involved, we identified where more density makes sense, and where for example preserving single-family homes helps maintain green space and local food production. We have the data, the plans, and the experienced city planners who know Burnaby better than anyone.
However in 2023 the province decided to implement their one-size-fits-all plan, introducing sweeping changes to zoning and housing legislation - most notably requiring municipalities to allow multi-unit housing on formerly single-family lots. This overreach is designed to accelerate housing supply across all communities by setting provincial-wide targets and legislation.
Collaboration
What’s happening now risks taking away the ability of cities like ours to do what we do best. The current “one-size-fits-all” provincial approach to housing is creating division in communities, a sense that local voices are being sidelined and the erosion of public trust. We could see residents opposing transit improvements in their neighbourhoods, not because they oppose growth, but because they fear unsupported six- or 12 unit developments being built in what would become Transit Oriented Areas. That’s the opposite of how we build vibrant, connected cities.
At the City of Burnaby, we believe true solutions only come through collaboration. We want to be a strong partner with all levels of government - but that partnership must respect the unique needs of local communities and the expertise and experience of others.
More homes on a map or paper should never come at the expense of affordability or livability for our people. Some cities are a long way behind Burnaby when it comes to density but we shouldn’t have to go backwards and misdirect our growth so that others can catch up. Instead we should be sharing our learnings and working together.