About the Housing Accelerator Fund Program
In April 2023, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) introduced the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) program, a $4-billion initiative that will provide funding to local governments to fast track the development of 100,000 more housing units across the country. The objectives of the HAF program are to:
- Support the development of complete communities that are walkable, consist of appropriate residential density and a diverse mix of land uses, and provide access to a wide variety of amenities and services through public and active transportation.
- Support the development of affordable, inclusive, equitable, and diverse communities that encourage clear pathways to achieving greater socio-economic inclusion largely achieved through the equitable provision of housing across the entire housing spectrum.
- Support the development of low-carbon and climate-resilient communities.
The Government of Canada and Bowen Island Municipality announced in March 2024 that they reached an agreement to fast track 35 housing units over the next three years. This deal will help spur the construction of 114 homes across the island over the next decade.
The agreement will provide over $1.8 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster. Bowen Island’s Action Plan commits to seven local initiatives: increasing the number of affordable homes, reducing minimum parking requirements for new housing developments, streamlining approval processes, establishing an e-permitting system, creating a process for making public lands available for affordable housing projects, and making municipal owned land available for housing.
See below for more details on the Housing Action Plan items.
Bowen Island’s HAF Action Plan
1. Reducing minimum parking requirements for affordable housing developments
The cost of providing parking impacts on the affordability, and ultimately the feasibility, of housing projects. This can be especially the case for affordable housing projects, where parking costs can represent 10%-12% of overall construction costs.
On January 13,2025 Bowen Island Council adopted Bylaw No. 670 which reduces the minimum parking requirements for affordable housing on Bowen Island. This change helps lower development costs and supports the creation of more affordable homes on Bowen Island.
2. Development Cost Charges
Development Cost Charges (DCCs) can be levied on new development to pay for new or expanded infrastructure such as sewer, water, drainage, parks, roads, solid waste and recycling facilities, fire protection facilities, and police facilities necessary to adequately service the demands of that new development.
Bowen Island staff are working to develop Development Cost Charges for development within the Snug Cove Sewer System, and subsequently to work on DCC bylaws for water and road costs.
3. Waiving Public Hearing for Affordable Housing Projects in Alignment with the OCP
The Local Government Act permits local governments to waive public hearings for projects that align with the Official Community Plan. Providing shorter timelines can reduce uncertainty and project costs for affordable housing projects.
To better support affordable housing projects on Bowen Island, Bowen Island Council amended the Affordable Housing Policy in July 2024 to include clear criteria to consider waiting public hearing for rezoning applications for projects that conform to the Official Community Plan where:
- affordable housing makes up 25% of total gross floor area of the project; and
- In projects where less than 50% of the gross floor area of the project is residential, where Affordable housing makes up 50% of the total residential gross floor area of the project
4. E-permitting for Building Permits
Accepting digital Building Permit applications can reduce time spent processing permit applications, and
provide a more seamless experience for applicants and home owners. Starting Septmeber 30th, 2025, the Bowen Island Municipality is accepting digital building permit applications through the BC Building Permit Hub. Designed for residents, builders, and designers, the Building Permit Hub streamlines the entire permitting process through a user-friendly digital interface. It helps ensure submissions are complete, code-compliant, and ready for review, right from the start.
5. Partnering with nonprofits on affordable housing
To build capacity in the non-profit housing sector on Bowen Island, and support a professional society working tirelessly to create affordable housing on Bowen Island, the Municipality entered into a three-year partnering agreement with the Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing Society (BIRCH).This agreement with provide BIRCH with stable funding to build their organization and better deliver on their commitment to provide housing for Bowen Islanders.
6. Process for Disposal of Municipal Land for affordable housing
In April 2025, Bowen Island Council adopted the Process for Disposal of Municipal Land for Affordable Housing Policy. This policy provides a clear process to guide Council when deciding to dispose of Municipal Land, and ensures that consideration is given to Bowen’s latest Housing Needs Report, and potential for residential development on the land, before a decision is made to dispose of land.
7. Make Municipally owned lands available for housing
Under this initiative, Bowen Island staff have created an inventory of Municipal Land to assess its suitability for housing. Additionally, staff are overseeing a project to conduct Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) work within the Snug Cove Sewer System to reduce I&I and improve system efficiency with the system. The aim of this work would be to create additional capacity in the Snug Cove Sewer System that could support additional residential development.
Questions? Contact Daniel Martin, Manager of Planning & Development at 604-947-4255 ext. 230 or dmartin@bimbc.ca.