THE NEED FOR HOUSING in Kamloops has never been greater.
According to a housing needs report received by council last month, the city will have to add more than 23,000 new units in the next 15 to 20 years.
But the need is not only for future growth. We have a deficit right now.
Whatever you think of its tactics, the provincial government has at least recognized that need for housing across the province, which is why it pulled rank and unilaterally removed some of the legislative barriers that prevent projects from moving ahead.
Now, on the rare occasions local councils have the chance to turn housing projects down, the arguments will need to be extraordinarily compelling.
Opponents to a proposed 120-unit, six-storey rental complex in Valleyview found that out this week.
They feel the development is not suited to their neighbourhood, raising all sorts of objections — everything from traffic and parking to a perceived conflict of interest on the part of the voting councillors.
More than 350 of those opponents even put their names on a petition in a bid to stop the project.
No matter. Council cleared the way for the shovels to hit the ground.
It’s worth asking the question — what type of community opposition could get a project halted right now?
The prediction that a project will change the character of a particular neighbourhood is just not compelling enough.
Not in the face of a housing deficit that has hundreds of people living on the streets and thousands more in inadequate living situations or paying far too much for their homes.
We should all prepare for the character of our neighbourhoods to change — to become more developed and more crowded.
Rural areas like Barnhartvale and Heffley Creek, far away from services, may be exempt for now, but they won’t be for long.
Density is the price we pay for living in growing cities, so we should expect more and more projects to be given the green light without much debate in the months and years to come.
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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.
