Several city councillors are still unhappy about implementing the provincial government’s new housing legislation.
Following a staff report at Monday’s (Apr 15) meeting, they said they had no choice but to vote in favour of amendments to zoning bylaws and the Official Community Plan (OCP) to implement the provincial government’s new housing legislation.
“We’re losing more and more control here at the council level with the authority taken away by the province,” said Councillor Ron Cannan, who also voiced concerns about delegating “all the powers for the city to staff.”
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One of the main sticking points is that council can no longer request a public hearing if a residential development application is consistent with the OCP. It can only approve or deny rezoning at the application stage.
Developments that meet the OCP could be left to staff discretion.
“It precludes us from doing our duty,” said Coun. Mohini Singh. “It takes away the ability for us to serve the needs of our community, but we have no choice.”
Coun. Gord Lovegrove agreed but noted that staff need council’s support.
“I’m seeing our staff under a lot of strain to get the changes made, they are the experts. I trust them.”
Coun. Luke Stack reminded his colleagues of where their authority comes from.
“The only authority we have in the first place was given to us by our provincial government. We are losing some of the freedoms that we’ve enjoyed but in essence, the only thing we as a municipal government can do is what the provincial government allows us to do.”
Councillors Hodge and Cannon were the only ones opposed to giving three readings to the amendments.
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