Housing Target Progress Report
On June 25, 2024, the Minister of Housing issued Ministerial Order No. M206 pursuant to the Housing Supply Act. This Housing Target Order set out the following cumulative housing targets for the Township of Esquimalt beginning July 1, 2024:
- Year 1: 81
- Year 2: 185
- Year 3: 325
- Year 4: 510
- Year 5: 754
Under the Order, the Township Council must receive a progress report within 45 days after the first report period (July 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024). Council received the progress report at their January 27, 2025 meeting. The order also requires that the progress report be posted on the Township’s website:
During the first six-month reporting period, 224 net new dwelling units were created in Esquimalt. This includes 96 below market rental units.
Housing research
The CRD released the Capital Regional District Housing Needs Assessment in 2020. As a result of the 2023 amendments to the Local Government Act under Bill 44, changes were made to the timing and requirements for Housing Needs Reports. The Township has prepared an Interim Housing Needs Assessment, as an appendix to the 2020 document, which fulfills the Township's statutory requirement. It is important to recognize that the Interim Housing Needs Report's 5-and 20 year housing need totals were calculated by the Provincial government.
Please note that the report includes analysis based on data that may no longer reflect the realities of the current housing situation in Esquimalt. Readers are cautioned to critically examine the sources and date of the data in the report before making decisions related to the present housing situation in Esquimalt.