Housing

Two Million Dollar Federal Housing Accelerator Fund to Support Local Housing Initiatives

On August 2, 2024, Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, announced that Ucluelet will be awarded $2,095,000 from the Federal Housing Accelerator Fund Initiative. Ucluelet’s successful bid features five initiatives that include updating bylaws, guidelines, and policies; streamlining processes; realigning regulations to match housing needs; pre-zoning lands for more attainable housing types; developing incentives for the creation of housing; as well as creating resources to support development of secondary suites, accessory dwelling units, and infill housing.

Creating supports for Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing Projects

Local Governments across BC, including Ucluelet, have been working diligently to amend Bylaws and streamline permit processes in response to the Provincial Government’s new Homes for People Action Plan. One of the priorities of this action plan focuses on increasing housing affordability and supply through more Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH), also known as the “missing middle”.

What is “missing middle” housing and how can it benefit Ucluelet residents?

The “missing middle” describes housing forms in between single-family detached homes and large scale apartment buildings (Figure 1). This type of housing comes with an array of community benefits by integrating seamlessly into existing neighbourhoods, addressing diverse housing needs, and increasing affordability.

Check out this video from the City of Vancouver which tells the story of “missing middle” housing. Although some of the information within the video is specific to Vancouver, many of the challenges and benefits are shared in communities across BC, including Ucluelet. Its important for each municipality to determine what type of missing middle housing best suits the community need.

In Ucluelet, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and secondary suites are an important component to SSMUH. While the District has proactively allowed these in all residential zones for years, recent Zoning Bylaw amendments to parking requirements, setbacks, height, and size regulations ensure our Bylaws align fully with provincial SSMUH legislative priorities.

ADU and Secondary Suite Guides

Amidst the provincial and local regulatory changes, the District of Ucluelet has been developing resources to support Ucluelet residents throughout the process of creating small-scale housing projects. This includes the following How-To Guides for:

• Secondary Suites + Secondary Suite Checklist
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
• Converting Accessory Buildings to Residential Use + Building Code Assessment for ADU Conversion

Whether you are looking to add a secondary suite, create an ADU, or convert an existing accessory building into a residential space, these guides provide step-by-step instructions and tips for navigating land use and building code regulations.

Secondary Suite Amnesty Program

In addition to the How-to Guides, The District of Ucluelet has recently adopted a policy aiming to help homeowners legalize existing, unauthorized secondary suites. Obtaining a building permit can be viewed by some homeowners as a mysterious bureaucratic process, best avoided if at all possible. However, authorizing a secondary suite through the building permit process provides several benefits related to health, safety, property value, and insurance. To incentivize homeowners to legalize existing un-permitted suites, the District is offering a 12-month “amnesty” program. From September 1, 2024, to September 1, 2025, building permit fees will be waived for applications related to existing secondary suite legalization, and the homeowner can be assured that applying for the permit will not result in a ticket or other fines for having an illegal suite.