Exactly one year after telling the Union of BC Municipalities that it would tackle cumbersome development permitting processes via its Development Approvals Process Review, the Government of B.C. has issued a report based on 12 months of consultation with 88 stakeholders including local governments and developers.
The report, from the province’s Development Approvals Process Review Working Group, said the group has identified more than 70 “challenges” currently facing development approvals, which were then turned into “opportunities” for improvement.
Challenges and opportunities were identified at each stage of the development process, including:
• municipal development requirements and regulations;
• development applications by proponents;
• planning offices and their resources and communications;
• appeals processes;
• public consultation processes;
• development financing tools;
• subdivision of sites; and
• provincial referrals and requirements.
The report said that, with all those challenges and opportunities now identified, the province would now continue to work with regional governments and stakeholders to find ways to implement the improvements needed.
It said the next steps are to: “1) Proceed with significant ongoing input from all parties involved. This is to avoid unintended consequences resulting from changes to policies, regulations or legislation. Deep consultation with stakeholders on specific proposals is essential for success. 2) Identify how opportunities that are implemented will be evaluated and monitored.”
Read the full report here.
