Frequently Asked Questions

• Why did the City create the Housing Needs Report?
• What are the City's projected housing needs for the next 5 and 20 years based on the Province’s standardized Housing Needs Report Method?
• What is the Provincial Housing Needs Report Method and how does it work to calculate housing need?
• What is the difference between the Housing Target Order and Housing Needs Report?

Why did the City create the Housing Needs Report?

In April 2019, the Provincial government introduced a requirement for local governments in BC to prepare a Housing Needs Report (HNR) that describes current and anticipated housing needs. The City produced its first Housing Needs Report in 2021.

In November 2023, the Province introduced new legislative requirements for Housing Needs Reports. These latest changes require local governments to complete Interim Housing Needs Reports by January 1, 2025 that include the following items:

1. ​Projected housing needs for the next 5- and 20-years calculated using a standardized methodology introduced by the Province;

2. Actions implemented by local governments to reduce housing needs since receiving the most recent Housing Needs Report; and,

3. Statement about the need for housing in close proximity to transportation infrastructure that supports walking, bicycling, public transit, or other alternative forms of transportation.

The Interim Housing Needs Report must inform updates to the City’s three Official Community Plans (OCPs) and Zoning Bylaw, which must be completed by December 31, 2025. The updated OCPs and Zoning Bylaw must demonstrate housing capacity for the 20-year housing need. Through this change, the Province aims to speed up housing approvals by reducing rezonings and OCP amendments.

The next regular Housing Needs Report must be completed by December 31, 2028, and every five years thereafter.

What are the City's projected housing needs for the next 5 and 20 years based on the Province’s standardized Housing Needs Report Method?

A standardized methodology was used to determine the City's 5- and 20-year housing needs. It is made up of six components that are added together, as shown in the table below. Using this method, the Interim Housing Needs Report identifies that New Westminster will need 8,137 new housing units by 2029 and 27,523 new housing units by 2044.

What is the Provincial Housing Needs Report Method and how does it work to calculate housing need?

The Housing Needs Report Method is the standardized methodology that local governments in BC are required to use to calculate projected 5- and 20-year housing needs. The HNR Method consists of six components, which added together provide the total number of housing units needed. The six components include:

• Component A – Supply of units to reduce extreme core housing need (those paying more than 50% of income for housing);
• Component B – Supply of units to reduce homelessness;
• Component C – Supply of units to address suppressed household formation;
• Component D – Supply of units needed to meet household growth over the next 5 or 20 years;
• Component E – Supply of units needed to meet at least a 3% vacancy rate; and,
• Component F – Supply of units needed to meet local demand.

What is the difference between the Housing Target Order and Housing Needs Report?

In July 2024, the Province issued a Housing Target Order for New Westminster. The Order is one of the legislative changes brought in by the Province with the goal of addressing the housing crisis. The City is required to build 4,432 net new units over five years from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2029. The target is 75% of the total estimated housing need based on the Province’s methodology (which differs from the Housing Needs Report Method).

The 2024 Interim Housing Needs Report identifies that New Westminster will need 8,137 new housing units by 2029. The housing need report numbers represent 100% of total estimated housing need based on the Housing Needs Report Method. The estimated housing need numbers in Interim Housing Needs Report are not housing targets.