Over the past year, the City of Delta has taken tangible steps to encourage the construction of housing throughout the community, making progress towards the City’s goal to “Build Housing and Grow Sustainably.”
In a report to Delta Council received at the December 2 Regular Meeting, the City outlines significant efforts undertaken to align with changes to provincial legislation and create an environment that allows for community enhancing development. These measures included adopting a new housing-focused Official Community Plan (OCP), updating the Zoning Bylaw to enable Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH), revising the Agricultural 1 (A1) Zone, and submitting an application to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Housing Accelerator Fund. Innovative events like the City of Delta’s first-ever PLAN-A-THON also encouraged residents to explore opportunities to enhance housing options in their neighbourhoods.
“Delta Council is incredibly proud of all the City has achieved over the last year, and the hard work that has gone into ensuring our community has the ability to grow and thrive for years to come,” said Mayor George V. Harvie. “We know that Delta is not immune to the challenges of the housing crisis, and it is encouraging to see action being taken to address the critical issue of housing in a way that recognizes Delta’s unique context. I want to extend my gratitude to City staff for their excellent work and I look forward to seeing continued progress in 2025.”
In addition to larger projects like the OCP and SSMUH, staff also completed numerous additional policy updates including:
- Simplified secondary suite permitting
- Transit-oriented area parking reductions
- Scott Road Corridor market demand study
- Complete Communities Land Use Assessment
- Housing Needs Report update
- Ongoing improvements and expansions to eApply services
- Ongoing streamlining for the development application process
These updates work together to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and allow more housing to get built faster—particularly along key corridors and urban centres.
Looking ahead to 2025, the City of Delta remains committed to prioritizing housing, with plans to further update zoning bylaws, review development fees, review policies around rental stock protection and amenity contributions, and report on the Housing Action Plan progress. Together, these efforts will provide a strong foundation as the City continues to work towards the Province’s Housing Target Order and build much-needed housing in the community.
For more information on this news release, please contact media@delta.ca.