More local governments will receive support to help them break down barriers and create more efficient approvals processes that will help B.C. to deliver more homes quicker.

"This is about giving communities the capacity to speed up processes to get more homes built for people in their communities," said Brittny Anderson, Minister of State for Local Government and Rural Communities. "Local governments are essential partners in delivering housing. We are continuing to help them speed up and streamline permitting and development approvals so more homes get built sooner for people who need them."

The Province is investing approximately $9 million for another intake of the Local Government Development Approvals Program (LGDAP). This program, administered through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), funds local government-initiated projects to improve the efficiency of permitting systems and development approvals for quicker housing delivery and increasing housing supply.

"We're working to help remove barriers that local governments are experiencing that result in a slowdown in creating housing," said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. "This investment will help local governments cut through delays, bring housing plans to life quickly and grow in ways that meet people's needs."

The third intake of the LGDAP will open in early 2026, with funding expected to be distributed by mid-2026. The Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs is working with the UBCM to update program guidelines to ensure they reflect local governments' needs and priorities.

"Local governments across B.C. are taking steps to streamline and improve development-approval processes," said Trish Mandewo, president, UBCM. "Previous intakes from the fund were well subscribed and our members will welcome the opening of a new intake."

The program will be open to all municipalities, regional districts and the Islands Trust. Previous LGDAP intakes each supported approximately 40 local governments, delivering a combined funding of approximately $19 million to communities throughout B.C.

The following projects show how the program is supporting local governments to improve development approvals and respond more quickly to housing needs in their communities:

• The City of Burnaby made its development approvals quicker and more efficient by updating processes and workflows. This has cut the permitting time for new residential permits by 75%.
• The City of Nanaimo streamlined approvals and supported a successful shift to digital online permitting and application-review tools, making it easier and quicker for residents to get housing projects approved.
• The Town of Comox updated bylaws, streamlined processes and internal procedures, and improved co-ordination with neighbouring jurisdictions for consistency. The applicants now have clearer development-applicant guides and templates.
• The City of Castlegar used LGDAP funding to support expanding housing options for residents. The city published information booklets and application guides to support and promote construction of basement suites and accessory dwelling units.
• The District of Hudson's Hope has a user-friendly development-approvals system, which is compliant with legislation and aligned with industry best practices, positioning the district to handle growth and development more efficiently.

Quotes:

Ken Sim, mayor of Vancouver -

"Funding from the Province's Local Government Development Approvals Program has been critical in supporting the transformation of our permitting program. With the $500,000 in funding we received, we accelerated key upgrades, enabling electronic submission and new digital tools that help applicants explore and understand site and project requirements before they apply. These improvements are streamlining approvals, reducing delays and making it faster, simpler and more predictable to deliver the housing Vancouver needs."

Ross Siemens, mayor of Abbotsford -

"The City of Abbotsford is grateful to the Province for supporting municipalities in their efforts to enhance efficiency and ensure that homes are being built to meet the demands of our growing population. With the funding the City of Abbotsford received through this program in 2021, we were able to fully digitize our building permits and inspections, significantly streamlining the process and helping get housing built faster in our community."

Brenda Locke, mayor of Surrey -

"Surrey has delivered more than 30 major process improvements and surpassed our provincial housing targets in 2024, showing we can get homes built faster. With the Province's support, we'll build on this momentum to deliver even more housing for the families who live here, both today and in the future."

Patrick Van Minsel, mayor of Peachland -

"The LGDAP allowed the District of Peachland to modernize its bylaws and approval procedures, including some key communications documents. As a small town with limited resources, none of these improvements could have been achieved without the support of the LGDAP, especially without imposing significant impacts on development application timelines. The district is extremely thankful for the support we've received from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs."

Quick Facts: 

• This new intake is responsive to local government needs and priorities and is expected to include projects that will accelerate housing development.
• This new intake will look at supporting local governments with implementing initiatives, such as the Building Permit Hub, that helps people submit a building-permit application through a streamlined and standardized approach across multiple jurisdictions in B.C.
• This intake will also look at innovative ways to speed up housing development, such as helping local governments support off-site manufacturing pilots and implement standardized designs for housing. 

Learn More: 

For more information about the Development Approvals Process Review consultation, visit:
https://www.ubcm.ca/lgps/local-government-development-approvals

To learn how B.C. is working to deliver more homes for people, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/more-homes-for-people