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The NDP government is making changes to development cost charges that builders say could help reduce the burden they face as material and labour costs continue to increase and the number of projects under construction drop.

Starting in 2026, builders will only have to pay 25 per cent of their fees to municipalities up front and will be able to defer the remaining 75 per cent for four years or until people move into the building.

The fees help cover the cost of infrastructure such as community centres, roads, sewers and parks.

The changes will also allow developers to use bonds instead of irrevocable letters of credit as financial guarantees, allowing them to preserve access to capital throughout the project.

Wendy McNeil, CEO of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver, said the changes will allow builders certainty when it comes to the cost of the project and the timeframe for making payments to municipalities.

“I think this is great news. This announcement, it really shows there is appetite and responsiveness to the industry’s concerns,” said McNeil.

She said it will also allow builders to invest in future projects instead of having a large portion of their capital tied up in a single project.

“It’s all about certainty, and that’s the biggest hurdle that the industry is facing, or was facing is that the different charges, different schedules and different tools really didn’t make it easy for builders to do business.”

A June report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation found B.C. housing starts fell from 53,118 units in April to 37,455 in May, a reduction of just under 30 per cent. Additionally, B.C.’s housing starts are over 4,000 units lower than they were at the same time last year.

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said Wednesday that the province has already done significant work to bring down the cost of housing and increase supply by placing restrictions on short-term rentals, spending on affordable housing, and upzoning near transit stations and in single-family neighbourhoods.

He acknowledged there is more to do to encourage construction, which is why the government is now making changes to development cost charges.

“It’s hard to move forward on projects because the costs were built in at a different price point. And so that means we have to innovate. We have to find new ways to ensure that we’re able to lower costs.”

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Delta Mayor George Harvie joined Kahlon for the announcement, as did Anne McMullin, president of the Urban Development Institute.

All three said they have seen projects stall because developers can’t afford the costs placed on them before construction even begins.

Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward said the changes are something municipalities have been pushing for.

“The municipalities were not able to do this until now and didn’t have the legislative authority to implement this themselves,” he said.

“At the moment, I see that they’re making a number of these rather obvious changes. I think we would like to see them focus on only the things that they can do, such as get construction costs down and help municipalities and the developers with financing costs.”

Chris Gardner, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said that while the changes to the development cost charges were a step in the right direction, they don’t fix other issues slowing the pace of housing construction.

He said the goal should ultimately be to have the senior government shoulders more of the cost when it comes to building infrastructure such as roads and sewers, which would reduce the burden on municipalities and allow them to lower development fees for builders.

“We need to look at how we take costs out of housing construction, the fees and taxes that the province and the municipalities levy on housing. That is a crucial element to getting buyers back into the market,” said Gardner.

“Right now we’ve got interest rates that are still higher than a lot of would like to see when they go apply for mortgages, a lot of economic uncertainty because of the economy as a whole that’s been compounded by the Trump tariffs and then the inability of the B.C. economy as a whole to really fire on all cylinders and produce strong private sector job growth.”

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As you drive through various communities at this time of the year, you can’t help but notice the massive colour displays provided by day lilies. From street median and roundabout plantings to massive drifts in park beds, day lilies have become today’s go-to perennials.

When I have questions about day lilies, the person I love to contact is Pam Erikson of Erikson’s Daylily Gardens in Langley, B.C.  As a breeder, grower, judge and retailer, she is one of Canada’s leading day lily authorities. Erikson’s carries over 3,000 varieties of day lilies, as well as an incredible collection of hostas, drought-tolerant plants and fall bulbs.

“Why all this obsession with day lilies?” I asked. “Drought tolerance,” Erikson responded.

“With our changing climate, hot and cold extremes and long periods of summer drought, few other plants can tolerate these conditions and still perform beautifully,” she explained. Most of the North American varieties are hardy to zone 2, except for the more tender Florida bred varieties, which are mostly rated for zone 6, but after our severe cold spell two years ago, she no longer carries them.

Hemerocallis, commonly called day lilies, are some of the easiest perennials to grow. Because they tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions, all they need is well-draining soil, a little organic matter and slow-release fertilizer for a continuous feed throughout the summer.

Generally speaking, day lilies appreciate five to six hours of summer sun each day. Erikson surprised me by saying the dark red and purple varieties need a little shade during the hottest part of the day in order to maintain their deep, rich colours.

I asked about the trend of continuous blooming varieties, like Stella d’Oro. She pointed out that breeding that variety has made it one of the best, and by far, the most popular day lily today, with millions planted around the world. However, Erikson prefers Happy Returns, a slightly fragrant, softer yellow that also blooms continually and looks like a field of daffodils all summer.

I mentioned that knock-offs of Stella d’Oro don’t seem to have the staying power of the originals. Erikson pointed out that there are non-registered varieties on the market that are mass produced by tissue culture, but they do not have the same intensive breeding and testing to ensure their quality.

When she breeds a new variety, Erikson trials it for eight years before releasing it in order to ensure its long-term quality and viability. The American Hemerocallis Society, which is the North American day lily authority, has a website that will confirm if varieties are registered.

According to Erikson, some of the best day lily breeding in North America was done in the 1980s. Many of those varieties had more resilient, unique blooms and tended to have a longer blooming period. Big Spider was an example of a very different yellow day lily that had massive blooms over a four-week period.

She also mentioned that Bill Munson, often known as the American godfather of day lilies, warned that too much breeding could result in their extinction.

Erickson also pointed out the absolute drought tolerance of day lilies. In the absence of water and with extreme heat, they can die down completely, but when water returns, new leaves emerge, and they begin to flower all over again.

I asked her to name some of the  best varieties.  She said that was a tough question because she is passionate about so many. Canada 150 she said is one of the best dark reds with a darker eye. Rootin Tootin is another beautiful red, and a Canadian hybrid. Lemon Lace is a lovely ruffled, fragrant yellow with very large blooms. Strutter’s Ball, which Erikson thinks is magnificent, is a deep purple.

I asked her how to create the best display of day lilies for a home landscape. Erikson recommends a perennial border, where day lilies are blended in with other perennials, flowering shrubs and spring-blooming bulbs for a long and attractive showing.  For an early display of colour, she likes to plant minor bulbs, crocus, narcissus and tulips around day lilies, and as the fall foliage begins to decline, the foliage of day lilies begins to grow and hide the unsightly leaves of fading bulbs.

Erikson particularly loves combining variegated weigelas with purple day lilies. PG hydrangeas, especially the more compact varieties, also make great companions for day lilies. Erikson is OK with underplanting trees with hemerocallis as long as the trees are open and not casting heavy shade.  Most of all she loves growing them in pots. She enjoys moving them around and changing out the varieties as the seasons progress.

No wonder Erikson is the go-to horticulturist not only for day lilies but also for many other perennials and bulbs. Hemerocallis are playing an ever-increasing role in our home gardens, roadside plantings and parks.

This year, Erikson’s Daylily Gardens, located at 24642 51 Avenue, Langley, will close at the end of June and reopen in August for fall perennial and bulb sales.  Please check online for current hours of operation.

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By moving an hour north of inner-city Vancouver to Squamish, Dan Dale and Fiona Francis gained near-instant access to their favourite climbing areas, bike trails and the pristine waters of Howe Sound. They made the shift in 2021 when Dale, an environmental economist and Francis, a marine biologist, adopted a hybrid work model. After four years of renting a condo, the couple have committed to living in the community of 30,000 people and have purchased a home that aligns with their values and honours the sensitive environment in which they live.

Chickadee Lane by ReGen Homes is a small development of just eight townhomes on Wilson Cres. near downtown Squamish. Each three-storey unit is not technically built to net zero criteria, but to zero emission Built Green Platinum standard, the highest there is. Each home has six solar panels, a heat pump and is powered only by electricity.

“The environmental features are important to us but other things we value are location and lifestyle,” says Dale. Francis agrees, noting that their rented condo on the north end of town was isolated.

“We love living in Squamish, but we’ve missed that cosmopolitan vibe of Vancouver. Chickadee Lane puts us closer to downtown. It will be an urban lifestyle without the urban density and not having to hop in our car all time will be nice,” she says.

The builder, ReGen Homes, is local and was founded by B.C. native Cameron Cope who brings his love of the province’s ecology to every project. His childhood on Salt Spring Island, his introduction to Squamish in 2011 and employment as a carpenter informed the manner in which ReGen homes are constructed.

“In 2019 I incorporated ReGen with the belief we could build homes that have a positive impact on climate and biodiversity and also play a role in regenerating the planet. We’re trying to focus on building homes that our future world needs. It’s a large, holistic approach to building,” Cope explains.

Chickadee Lane is one of three multi-family projects that ReGen has done in the area. There is one 1,189 square foot floor plan with three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a double garage with nine-foot high ceilings and eight-foot garage doors, an important feature for Squamish homebuyers who typically need that height for trucks and ski racks.

Cope’s regenerative approach begins with site selection. Each project is an infill development in a walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented neighbourhood. If people live in the most energy efficient home possible, but are driving everywhere, that’s not a sustainable lifestyle, he says.

Each zero-emission home, which means there is zero fossil fuel used in its operation, is equipped with extra insulation, triple-pane windows, rooftop solar array and a heat pump — all the latest technology employed in net zero homes. These are the type of homes that are the way of the future but are often out of financial reach for many homebuyers.

“For a sustainable home you generally need to pay big bucks on a custom, single-family home and that’s not for everyone. We’re trying to make that technology and type of living available to more people,” he says.

Low VOC paint and materials and high-quality plywood products manufactured locally to reduce emissions created by shipping are other key features.

Cope’s philosophy is that long-lasting quality materials won’t need to be replaced, keeping waste out of the landfill.

“We’re doing all the upgrades at the beginning, so people don’t feel like they need to throw things out,” Cope says.

Landscaping to increase insect or bird habitat and biodiversity in the urban environment is integral to regenerative development. Bird houses, garden boxes and a green space are part of the package.

Sales are currently by appointment only with a show home scheduled to open this weekend.

Project Scope: Chickadee Lane is a small development on Wilson Cres. in Squamish. It’s comprised of eight three-storey townhomes with garden boxes at the front door and communal green space at the back. The 1,189 square foot homes have three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and eight-foot garage doors. The homes are zero emission built to Built Green Platinum standards.

Builder: ReGen Homes

Architect/Designer: Method Design Group, Abbotsford

Prices : Starting at $999,000

Sales information: Contact ReGen for information or visit the June 28 open house from 11 a.m. to 12:30 pm..

Sales contact: hello@regen.homes

Website : regen.homes

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Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

101 — 271 Blue Mountain St., Coquitlam

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom half duplex

Size: 1,706 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,286,000

Listed for: $1,238,000

Sold for: $1,235,000

Sold on: April 8

Days on market in this listing: Two

Listing agent: Shafik Ladha PREC and Zobair Ali PREC at ReMax Westcoast

Buyers agent: Mayur Arora at Oneflatfee.ca

The big sell: This front-facing half duplex forms part of a collection of four half-duplex residences that were built in Coquitlam’s Maillardville community in 2023 with Lougheed Town Centre SkyTrain station nearby. Offering more than 1,700 square feet of living space as well as a 282-square-foot west-facing yard, the home provides plenty of space both indoors and out. The main level has an open floor plan with expansive living and dining rooms, a powder room, and a kitchen that boasts white gloss custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, and a peninsula with an eating bar and contemporary-style pendant lighting above. All three bedrooms are located upstairs and served by two bathrooms. High ceilings, walk-in closets, laminate floors, roughed-in air conditioning, and two parking stalls are additional highlights. The home comes with a monthly maintenance fee of $218.28.

110 — 2353 Marpole Ave., Port Coquitlam

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 661 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $496,000

Listed for: $575,000

Sold for: $575,000

Sold on: March 14

Days on market in this listing: One

Listing agent: Rahim Jivraj at eXp Realty

Buyers agent: Tobias Williams at ReMax City Realty

The big sell: According to listing agent Rahim Jivraj, this one-bedroom Port Coquitlam apartment in the Edgewater development sold after the first showing before the open house at full asking price. The reason for the appeal? A townhouse-style home with a private walk-up entrance and an expansive 264-square-foot patio, fresh interior paintwork in neutral tones, modern updates including a new dishwasher and microwave, and upgraded lighting, insuite laundry, and a central location in the downtown core. The living room has an electric fireplace, while the spacious (15-foot-long) bedroom features a double set of windows that overlook the patio, and a high-quality Murphy bed that doubles as a sofa complete with integrated cupboards on either side. Owners have a parking stall, storage locker, and use of the building’s amenities including bike storage and a guest suite. Pets and rentals are permitted, and this unit’s monthly maintenance fee is $297.46.

2 — 1260 Kaslo St., Vancouver

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom half duplex

Size: 1,579 square feet

B.C. Assessment: N/A

Listed for: $1,629,000

Sold for: $1,630,000

Sold on: April 11

Days on market in this listing: 17

Listing agent: Mark Hammer PREC at eXp Realty

Buyers agent: Ryan Taylor PREC at ReMax Real Estate Services

The big sell: This brand new home forms the back half of a duplex that was built by Pavarya Homes in Vancouver’s Renfrew district. The thoughtful design incorporates oversized windows, an open-concept layout on the main floor, a built-in sound system, and a modern air-conditioned interior with premium finishings such as custom millwork, white oak floors, high-end Fisher & Paykel appliances, sleek dual-tone cabinetry, and Nano doors that open up to blend indoor and outdoor living. There are two bedrooms upstairs alongside a flexible room that could be used as a home office, and a top-floor primary bedroom with vaulted ceilings, a spa-like ensuite, and a private balcony. The landscaped garden has an entertainment-sized patio, and direct access through French doors into the heated single garage which could be used as additional living space such as a gym.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

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In the few years since Manvir Deol launched Burnaby-based Plan Your Space , he’s noticed a real shift in how people are designing their homes. Multi-generational living is becoming more common, driven by the high cost of building or renovating in British Columbia, and a desire to be close to family, he says.

Plan Your Space is a design centre that allows people building or renovating to walk through their home’s floor plan at full scale — complete with furniture, walls and appliances. Deol went through the design-build process with his own family’s home, and saw firsthand how costly and painful it can be to make changes once framing goes up.

The centre gives families a chance to test their layout before construction begins, realizing, for example, that a powder room is too close to the kitchen or a wall needs moving.

Changing times

“A few years ago, people wouldn’t talk much about living with their parents or in-laws. Now it’s a priority,” says Deol. Entire families often come through to walk the floor plans, from kids to parents and grandparents.

A recent client was designing a quadplex for three generations under one roof, with the son-in-law’s mother taking the fourth unit.

“We are seeing a lot of new, young families designing homes with their parents or grandparents in mind,” says Deol.

Making it work

Designing for multi-generational living isn’t just about squeezing in extra bedrooms. It requires thoughtful connection and separation, he says.

Separate entrances can make a big difference, as can details like porches or landings that allow each family their own space and personal style.

By walking through a life-size layout, families get a feel for the proximity between units, the flow of shared spaces, and whether it feels ‘right’ before they begin building, he says.

Test-driving the heart of the home

The kitchen is often the most expensive — and emotionally significant — part of the home. Design decisions here carry extra weight, especially in tight economic times, says Deol.

At Plan Your Space, v isitors can experiment with kitchen layouts using movable appliances, bar stools and custom cabinetry.

You can try things out, such as where your kids will be doing their homework, while you’re cooking dinner, or how your kitchen island fits with your remote work setup, says Deol.

Many homeowners set aside contingency budgets for late-stage design changes — something Deol says can be avoided with more immersive planning.

Planning for the long term

Future-proofing is another major trend they’re seeing, says Deol. Families want homes that work not just for now, but for the years to come.

“We’re finding that people are designing with a long-term vision for their home. They have considered grandparents and how their children will grow, and how all their needs will change over the years,” says Deol.

“Planning to age in place is key, with design features such as ground-level grandparent suites, with no stairs and an open floor plan. Additionally, bathrooms in these suites are planned with barrier-free features such as curbless showers,” he says.

An immersive event space

Though Plan Your Space started as a walk-through studio, they are now hosting events for brands like Porsche, L’Oréal and Lamborghini, says Deol.

Event planners and companies hosting brand activations like the venue because it’s a blank canvas they get to transform.

“The same immersive experience of a floorplan walk-through is translated to any event where the projection system can project images, moving graphics, videos and layered with other senses such as sound, smell and taste,” he says.

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Although the mid-20th century marked the heyday of West Coast Modern, the architectural style continues to evolve today.

“The architectural profession is still addressing similar values and principles that characterize West Coast Modern,” architect John Patkau said.

“Maybe not so much in large condos in downtown Vancouver and surrounding areas, but certainly in smaller scale, low-rise buildings and houses. I think the West Coast Modern values are very informative. There are certain ideas of integration with nature, with the use of natural materials, with certain kinds of spatial organizations that are characteristic of work today that is directly related to work from the period that would be recognized as the strict time frame for West Coast Modern.”

West Coast Modern homes and buildings are marked by sensitivity to the natural surroundings, indoor/outdoor flow, clean lines, the use of natural materials, and expansive windows and skylights. Aficionados of the style and the architecturally curious can get a crash course in West Coast Modernism during West Coast Modern Week .

Presented by West Vancouver Art Museum, the annual celebration is in its 19th year. The week includes opening and closing parties, a talk, a screening/lecture, and tours of architecturally significant homes.

Material Operations, the title of Patkau’s talk at the Polygon Gallery July 9, is based on research into what the Vancouver-based architect calls “unusual applications of materials that are conventionally used in architectural construction. It’s an attempt to find new ways to use these materials to achieve unexpected spatial and formal characteristics. “

He and his firm, Patkau Architects, have been exploring these applications for the last 15 years. As co-founder of Patkau Architects with his wife Patricia Patkau, he has designed the Audain Art Museum, The Polygon Gallery, and Arbour House in Victoria.

In addition to Patkau’s talk, West Coast Modern Week presents the Annual Barry Downs Lecture Series. At Kay Meek Arts Centre July 10, the lecture includes a screening of Beauty Between the Lines, a 2024 documentary about Arthur Erickson. Erickson’s iconic West Coast Modern buildings include the Provincial Law Courts and Museum of Anthropology.

Dr. Jeff Derksen will annotate the screening with a lecture called Architecture of Encounter. The lecture looks at how Erickson “sought to bring together architectural elements from many cultures and to structure his building as spaces of encounter,” according to the West Vancouver Art Museum website.

The highlights of any West Coast Modern Week are the tours, which generally take place in West Vancouver. One of the highest concentrations of the style in the world is found in the district, where the natural surroundings posed unique challenges and opportunities that helped shape local architectural response.

There are walking tours on July 9, 10 and 13. Co-presented with North Shore Heritage, the tours “will discuss the elements and features of the Mid-Century Modern style and examine how the hallmarks of this iconic period were uniquely incorporated into both the interiors and exteriors of our local Mid-Century Modern architecture.”

The 19th Annual West Coast Modern Home Tour on July 12 will offer ticket-holders the chance to visit several homes. These include Taylor Residence, designed by Danial Evan White, 1983; Rayer Residence, designed by Barry Downs and Fred Hollingsworth, 1964; Forrest-Baker Residence, designed by Ron Thom and Dick Mann, 1962; Montiverdi Estates, designed by Arthur Erickson Architects, 1979-1982; and Eastwood-Seth Residence, designed by CBK Van Norman, 1954.

“West Coast Modernism initiated an integration of dwelling and nature that is as meaningful today, and perhaps even more meaningful today, than during its peak,” Patkau said. “It is the epitome of larger values that have developed around sustainability and the interest in the natural environment.”

Visit westvancouverartmuseum.ca for more information.

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