Province adds Courtenay to group of communities with housing targets

The Province of B.C. has added the City of Courtenay to the fourth round of municipalities receiving Housing Target Orders, based on need and projected growth.

May 29, 2025: Housing targets deliver more than 16,000 homes, new priority communities added

Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said the City is well-positioned to meet the new targets.

“Courtenay has already made tremendous progress in achieving the province’s ambitious land use and building permit targets since we adopted our Official Community Plan in 2022, and we’re confident that we’ll meet or exceed the Ministry’s expectations on this one too,” said Mayor Wells. “Courtenay has implemented sweeping changes to support the development of new housing in Courtenay, and have a clear understanding of our role in addressing the ongoing housing crisis.

“We look forward to working with our development community and every level of government to support the ongoing growth of our neighbourhoods,” added Wells. “Increasing access to all forms of housing will benefit residents, businesses and our community as a whole, both now and into the future. We will also continue advocating for support from our provincial and federal government partners for the infrastructure funding we will need to meet these housing targets, especially in south Courtenay.”

Ministry staff have advised that as one of the 11 municipalities recently added to the Speculation and Vacancy Tax, housing targets for Courtenay will be developed in consultation with the City.

Changes to development processes in recent years have included removing the need for Council approval on minor variances, reduced parking requirements for purpose-built rental and non-market housing, waiving development cost charges (DCCs) for non-market housing and allowing secondary suites and accessory units in residential zones. Courtenay has also rezoned over 60 per cent of properties in the city to allow small-scale, multi-unit housing which permits up to four units.

Courtenay has eliminated rezoning requirements for secondary suites and accessory units, adding nearly 1,700 new homes in the city since 2021, and changed zoning to allow more housing in the city.

In 2024, there were 625 net new housing units, including single-detached, secondary housing, duplex, townhouses and apartments.

Courtenay’s Housing Needs Report (HNA) released in 2024, sets a target of 2,472 new units by 2026. As of the end of 2024, Courtenay has already achieved 68 per cent of that target.

In addition, the HNA sets a target vacancy rate of at least 3 per cent. As of 2024, and for the first time in several years, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is reporting a 4.6 per cent vacancy rate in Courtenay.

The City is in the process of updating the Official Community Plan by the end of 2025 to meet the targets set in the Housing Needs Report, a requirement set by the B.C. government for all local governments in B.C. In 2023, the City updated the development procedures bylaw to align with provincial legislation, and will be making further amendments to align with the most recent B.C. government requirements.

The City of Courtenay will continue working with the provincial and federal governments to explore infrastructure funding opportunities. 

Learn more about the B.C. government’s housing targets

Fast Facts

The City of Courtenay is making significant progress on new housing.

• To meet Housing Needs Assessment targets, Courtenay would need 395 new housing units to be completed in 2025 and 2026
• There has been an average of 422 new housing units completed annually in Courtenay since 2021