Survey helps shape housing needs strategy in Comox Valley

Your voice is needed on the Comox Valley’s housing needs.

The Comox Valley Regional District is doing a housing needs assessment and wants to hear from you.

The district is partnering with the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox and Village of Cumberland on the initiative.

You can do your part by filling out an online housing needs survey.

The CVRD says that your experiences with the rental market, housing affordability, real estate market and other challenges being faced will help guide future development and housing strategies for the region.

Housing needs review legislated

In 2018, the province introduced legislation requiring all local governments in B.C. to review local housing needs.

It also calls for local governments to consider specific, local needs when creating policy and making decisions about development. 

Under the legislation, local governments will need to collect local data to understand housing supply, demand and the provision of housing across the housing spectrum. 

This information will help communities to identify gaps and address additional factors that may be impacting housing supply, such as short-term accommodations and speculation.

In the valley, the findings will help to meet the number one goal of the Regional Growth Strategy.

That is to ensure a diversity of affordable housing options to meet evolving regional demographics and needs.