Infill Housing and Townhouse Accelerator Initiatives
In 2017, The City launched Phase One of the Infill Housing Program after considerable community engagement, which included policies that encourage laneway and carriage houses, as well as townhouses (strata) and rowhouses (fee-simple). These types of housing help increase housing choice in New Westminster. Laneway and carriage houses also contribute to the amount and diversity of rental housing.
Council adopted a 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan, which identified Housing and Housing Options as an area of focus. One of the intended outcomes of the plan is to allow for diverse housing options in all neighbourhoods in New Westminster.
To achieve this outcome, the City initiated two programs: the Infill Housing Program and an updated Townhouse Program. These initiatives are led by the City and funded by the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC) through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).
Infill Housing Program
The Infill Housing Accelerator Program will explore pre-zoning to permit up to six units of infill housing (such as secondary suites, laneway and carriage houses, triplex, quadplex, and multiplex forms of housing) on single detached dwelling properties across most of the city.
This work will support the intent of the Province’s Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing legislation, which requires the City to permit development of three or four units per residential lot, depending on site size, and six units per lot in areas within 400 metres of frequent bus stop. The City is exploring going beyond this legislation by allowing up to six units per lot on all eligible residential properties. This means a property owner would have a range of options, including a single detached dwelling, a duplex, or a project with three, four, five, or six units, depending on their goals and what would work on their property.
This program has multiple phases, with the current phase exploring applying the Residential - Ground Oriented (RGO) land use designation from the Official Community Plan (OCP) throughout the city to allow for the development of infill housing.
The next phase will explore changes to streamline the development approval process, to enable faster review and approval time by City staff and accelerate the delivery of housing. These updates will also ensure that the right regulations and guidelines will be in place to support well-designed infill housing that fits within the existing neighbourhood context.
Townhouse Program
A Townhouse Accelerator Program is underway to encourage townhouse developments in certain areas of the city. The goal of the Townhouse Program is to facilitate the consolidation and redevelopment of more than one single detached dwelling property. This differs from the Infill Program which focuses on facilitating redevelopment of individual lots.
In order to increase the number of townhouse projects and new townhouse units constructed, this program is exploring: allowing townhouses without the need to submit a rezoning application (pre-zoning); increasing the density permitted; allowing secondary suites; and making regulatory and policy improvements based on lessons learned from past projects. The program also explores updates to the Residential - Infill Townhouse (RT) land use designation from the Official Community Plan (OCP) to now be called 'Residential - Townhouse.'
Program Timelines
Infill Housing Timeline |
Townhouse Timeline |
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How Do I Participate?
Visit the Our City, Our Homes Be Heard page for opportunities to participate in and stay up to date on the process. The Be Heard Page also includes project timelines, past consultation event materials and feedback, and the opportunity to ask a question.
You can also sign up for CityPage Online, follow the City on X or ‘like’ the City on Facebook. These are great ways to stay connected and hear about upcoming events!