A ‘veiled threat’ from the provincial government has triggered alarm bells for Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi.
“We’re being micro-managed right now as a city,” he said at the May 26 council meeting.
The reason for the mayor’s concern is a letter from Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Ravi Kahlon regarding Colwood’s progress towards its housing target of 940 new units over the next five years.
Kobayashi describes the letter as a tale of two halves – a “pat on the back” followed by a “reprimanding.”
In the letter dated May 7, Kahlon acknowledges Colwood’s six-month progress report, noting the city has already delivered 54 per cent of its ‘year one’ housing target.
The minister then switches his attention to a recent decision by Colwood, which denied a rezoning application for 44 townhouses “due to density and traffic concerns.”
“Please note the Ministry monitors denied applications to assess the impact on a municipality’s ability to meet its housing targets,” writes Kahlon.
Kobayashi describes the minister’s "tone" as concerning.
“And then, believe it or not … a cabinet minister sends us a letter telling us ‘unacceptable’ and ‘we’re watching you,’” said the mayor, giving his interpretation of the minister’s message.
Jumping to the city’s defence, Kobayashi said he “wrote a nasty letter back” to the minister.
In the letter dated May 8, he defends the city’s decision to reject the application for 44 townhouses, explaining the proposed development was “inconsistent” with the official community plan (OCP).
He also says the suggestion that the ministry will monitor denied applications, despite Colwood meeting its targets, “feels less like a constructive partnership and more like an implicit warning.”
“This approach risks eroding local decision-making and the partnership necessary to effectively address the housing crisis,” writes Kobayashi.
“Municipalities must retain the ability to make thoughtful, community-informed land use decisions, particularly when we are demonstrably achieving the outcomes the province has set.”
The mayor signs off his letter assuring the minister that Colwood is "fully committed to responsible growth and to working cooperatively with the province to deliver more housing."
"At the same time, we trust the province will respect our statutory role and local expertise in planning for our community’s long-term needs," he adds.
Kobayashi says he has publicly shared the correspondence in an effort to be “transparent” with residents and demonstrate the challenges the city is facing.
“So I’m going to be a little bit dramatic here, but it’s a bit autocratic,” he said.
Two new pieces of provincial legislation – the Infrastructure Projects Act (Bill 15) and the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act (Bill 7) – have also got Kobayashi rattled, who said both would give the province more power over municipalities.
“Frankly I’m concerned,” said Kobayashi. “Right now, we’re trying to manage everything as best we can without them stepping in.”
Both View Royal and Sooke have also criticized the new legislation.
In an open letter, View Royal said the bills will “centralize power, strip local governments of decision-making authority and diminish public accountability.”
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait has said Bill 15 “risks weakening trust, sidelining Indigenous and local voices, and ultimately delaying progress by creating conflict where cooperation is needed.”
A vote on Bill 15, which would allow the province to expedite permitting for new schools and hospitals and fast-track resource and housing projects by deeming them “provincially significant,” is expected at the legislature May 28.
