Calling it "a disaster in the making," "undemocratic" and a "one-size-fits-all" model that doesn't take into account local topography, Surrey-White Rock Conservative MLA Trevor Halford reaffirmed to White Rock council that he intends to keep up the fight to repeal Bill 44, the provincial government's legislation designed to boost housing stock B.C.-wide.
Speaking at Monday afternoon's council meeting, Halford encouraged council members to do the same – although Mayor Megan Knight noted that while council shares his concerns, the city has not many options other than complying with the legislation and other directives from Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon.
Small-scale multiple unit housing (SSMUH) measures in the legislation enable the redevelopment of single-family lots to provide as many as six separate units, with public hearings waived and city requirements for on-site parking suspended when developments are deemed close enough to transit stops.
Halford said he feels that Bill 44 is "one of the worst pieces of legislation that's come through our house in a very, very long time."
"It's an absolute disaster in the making, and what I hope is that it isn't a disaster in reality.
"As your MLA, I want to partner with, and be supportive of, some of the challenges we're seeing, not just in White Rock, but in South Surrey in general, when it comes to housing," he said.
"I'm not anti-development in any way whatsoever. I think we need development here in White Rock and we definitely need development in South Surrey – I firmly believe that.
"But I want to be smart about it. I look at .. the geography of White Rock and some of the challenges that presents, when you look at Oxford (Street) and some of the other areas, and you look at what this legislation does, and, more importantly, what it doesn't do (and) the challenges that puts on mayor and council, on staff, but really the challenges it puts on to the residents here.
"Being able to put four to six residential (units) on one lot, and taking away the right to have public hearings, I think, is anti-democratic. I think it's wrong, and it's something I really want to address directly with each of you, but I need your help in this, too."
Halford said that while he believes that the legislation may make sense in some areas of the province, it doesn't make any sense in White Rock and South Surrey.
"I think it's highly problematic, it's undemocratic, and I think it puts our city at risk," he said, citing the landslides that claimed two lives in Lions Bay in December and noting that steep terrain presents the same potential for slides in South Surrey and White Rock.
"Some of the decisions that are coming before you guys, I think that the province is taking those decisions out of your hands."
He said that conversations he has had with Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke have indicated that Bill 44 could cost that city $800 million.
"When you look at all of the infrastructure upgrades that need to be done, water, sewage, the lack of schools, the lack of hospital care and hospital professionals – we're not set up for this. We understand what they're trying to accomplish, but, to me, this is not the way to accomplish that.
"My main message to you, in Opposition, is that I do have your back on this, and I would appreciate if this is something we can continue to work together on. We don't want to have things forced and decisions made that we can't undo in the future."
"We appreciate you standing up for White Rock and our area," Knight said in response to Halford's remarks.
"It was a very rushed legislation that came down, and we're trying to do our best to abide by it. I think everyone on council is going to agree with what you said – it's just a matter of we have to do what we're mandated to do. Anything you can do at your level, in the house, we deeply appreciate."
