Housing Development

Along with the water supply issue, the other main concern from residents I have met across Parksville is the pace of new housing developments.  With water, everything is quantifiable and supported by data provided by experts.  But housing development is a much more emotional topic with a wide array of concerns.  So, in the next few paragraphs I will try to break things down and outline how I would like to see things develop going forward. (Warning : remember I’m “a numbers guy”).

From 2019 to 2025 there have been 21 building permits issued in Parksville for multi-family structures (apartment buildings) for a total of 1605 units.  Taking the census average of 2 persons per household, that’s additional housing for 3210 persons over a seven-year period. 

During the same period there have been only 10 small developments (think duplex, townhomes, etc.) constructed for a total 93 units.  I believe this is where the phrase “missing middle” comes from as the supply in this type of housing is very small when compared to single family homes and apartment buildings.  Yes – there are plenty of patio home developments in our City, but many are restricted to 55+ residents.

Until we get the 2026 census data, we won’t know for sure how much Parksville has grown, but I believe we will see a major jump in our population over the past five years.  The majority of Parksville residents (including my wife and I) have “Come from Away” to borrow the phrase.  During my canvassing across our City I’ve met people who’ve come from the Prairie Provinces, the BC Interior, the Lower Mainland and quite a few from the Saanich Peninsula and Victoria.   

And is that really a surprise to anyone?  We live in one of the most beautiful parts of Canada with a temperate climate and plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities to enjoy.  There are those that say we shouldn’t welcome more people, but I – like most people I’ve met – welcome new residents to share in our lifestyle.

So why all the construction?  There is pressure from the Provincial Government, enforced through the Local Government Act, to implement zoning changes to increase density be it in the form of carriage homes, multiplexes or apartment buildings.  The goal is to significantly increase the housing supply in the hope that vacancy rates will increase to healthier levels thereby reducing or stabilizing rents and slowing down the rate of house price increases across the province.  If you are interested, the Parksville Interim Housing Needs Report from December 2024 can be found here. The next report is due by December 31, 2028 – midway through the next Council’s term.

So where does Parksville stand?  Average sale prices appear to have stabilized per the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board.  Rental Vacancy rates have also stabilized, albeit at a low rate of 1% since 2022.  The provincial target is 3%.

Interestingly, the Parksville vacancy rate increased to 2.1% in October 2024, but fell right back to 1.0% in October 2025, even with all the new construction.   CMHC takes an annual “snapshot” every October, so we will see what the current number is, but from own personal experience I have found that apartment buildings are full with waitlists.

So what to do ?  I believe the rapid pace of apartment construction since 2016 has been somewhat overwhelming for residents and I think the foot should come off the gas pedal.  I favor shifting the focus onto Multiplex developments which fill the gap in that housing sector, hopefully attracting young families who cannot afford single family homes but don’t want to live in apartment settings.

I believe it is important to allow growth in our community.  Growth attracts investment by businesses creating new services and opportunities for employment.  It should be noted that growth also attracts infrastructure funding from senior levels of government.  While there is a “Growing Communities Fund”, I have never heard of a shrinking or stagnant community fund.

Yes – growth has to be balanced with demands on our infrastructure, and that is a core responsibility of City Council to manage.  We need to take stock of where we are, taking into consideration the 2026 census data which will start being released in the new year. 

The upcoming Official Community Plan (OCP) consultation is the perfect opportunity for those discussions to take place.  With your support, I will be at the Council Table listening to and learning from your input.