Rustad’s promise to rip up housing plan puts homes and jobs at risk

COMOX VALLEY - David Eby has released his plan to fast-track growth of B.C.’s factory-built home construction industry by cutting out-of-date red tape and streamlining regulations. Eby made the announcement at ORCA, a Vancouver Island-based company specializing in innovative, precision-crafted home construction.

“At a time when even people who earn a decent living are struggling to find housing they can afford, we need to do everything we can to get more homes built,faster,” said Eby. “By growing B.C.’s own factory-built home construction industry, everyone from multi-generational families to municipalities will be able to quickly build single homes, duplexes, and triplexes on land they already own. This is just one more step in our larger action plan to tackle the housing crisis.”

Last year, the BC NDP passed new laws to open up land for new townhomes, triplexes, and other multi-unit housing. This was a game changer for the factory-built home construction industry. Currently, 10 certified manufacturing plants are in B.C., and many have additional capacity to expand. State-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction, even of multi-unit homes, can take as little as only 12 weeks.

The day before the election campaign began, John Rustad said he would “get rid of Bill 44” and bring back the red tape and bureaucracy that has been holding back the construction of middle-class homes. When asked which parts of B.C.’s leading housing plan he would continue, Rustad said, “I would repeal all of that.”

“It’s clear John Rustad would return to the failed status quo and let those looking to make a quick buck drive up the cost of homes for everyone else,” added Eby. “That not only puts affordable middle-class housing at risk, it also threatens jobs and economic growth. By acting now, we will position B.C. as Canada’s factory-built home construction leader, opening the door to exporting homes to Western Canada and the Western States.”

Factory-built homes cut waste by 70% and reduce harmful emissions by 43%. Thanks to advances in the industry, today’s pre-constructed homes are beautiful and high-quality. They have been embraced in Scandinavian countries, where they offer an alternative to the much slower, more costly process of building on-site.

David Eby and the BC NDP will fast-track the growth of B.C.’s factory-built home construction industry by:

• Reducing red tape and letting the industry get on with the job. Working with municipalities, First Nations, and the industry, we’ll create a province-wide framework to put every municipality on the same playing field – so builders know what’s required in every community.
• Pre-approving a set of construction designs. Just as we’ve done with site construction, we’ll approve ready-to-use designs to reduce the time it takes to get homes built – without the need for lengthy permitting processes.
• Boosting skills training. In partnership with the industry leaders, we’ll work together to develop the skills training needed for this kind of home construction, creating jobs and opportunities in more communities.

BACKGROUND: B.C. plants manufacturing precision-crafted homes

The following companies are part of B.C.’s growing, home-grown, factory-built home industry:

• Chaparral Industries, Kelowna
• Champion Canada, Penticton
• Champion Canada, Kelowna
• Hummingbird Green Village, Saanichton
• Orca Solutions, Courtenay
• Dexterra Group, Kamloops
• Freeport Industries, West Kelowna
• Muchalat Construction Ltd, Comox Valley
• Radec Group, Penticton
• True Sound Pac Systems MFG. LTD., Gibsons Landing