Surrey announces action plan to increase housing by 27.8 per cent over three years

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The City of Surrey announced their three year action plan, which aims to increase new housing units by 27.8 per cent, or an average of 4,283 dwellings per year. 

The city announced their plan last month, and was given $95.6 million in funding through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. The fund gives municipal governments incentives to create initiatives to increase housing.

“The federal government’s support for Surrey’s Action Plan will help eliminate barriers to building the housing that the city needs,” said Sean Fraser, the federal minister of housing, infrastructure and communities, in a press release. “By working with cities, mayors, and all levels of government, we are helping to get more homes built for Canadians at prices they can afford.”

The action plan focuses on “faster development of higher density, multi-unit housing projects” by improving the development approval process and incentives for developers whose projects have a significant affordable housing component.

Surrey will also be using artificial intelligence (AI) for faster development and permit approvals. The city has used digital permit systems since 2020 including “AMANDA,” a land management system. 

“Surrey continues to be a favoured destination for people seeking a new home, which is why it is vital that we support the development of completed communities that are sustainable and inclusive,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke in a press release. 

“As a leader in the region in supplying affordable housing, Surrey will now expand on this success by creating more safe, stable, and accessible housing for our ever-growing population.”

Surrey-based realtor Simran Grewal says buying a house in the city is not affordable for most residents, even with incentives for first-time home buyers. An older single family home is easily over $1.1 million, and new builds cost over $2 million, he says. 

University of British Columbia geography professor David Ley wrote in an email statement to The Runner that affordable rental housing is essential because immigrants typically start off with lower incomes in Canada. Ley has worked on numerous projects and work about housing and labour markets pertaining to immigration to Canadian cities. 

Without a doubt, refugees struggle the most to find safe and affordable housing, as they “have traumatic backgrounds and may well have seen their families fragmented,” Ley wrote. 

Avneet Dhaliwal, an international student who lives in Surrey, says she struggled finding housing in the city. 

“Honestly, it’s so hard to find a rental house or rental basement in Surrey. Mortgages are so high, [and] due to this, we have to pay double [the] rent,” Dhaliwal says.  

“If you want a one bedroom basement, [that has] a small living area, a small kitchen, and one small washroom, you have to pay $1,500 per month. That’s a lot for one [person].” 

Surrey is also adjusting zoning to increase housing density, especially around rapid transit lines. The action plan includes the short-term Rapid Transit Development Incentives Program, which will offer discounts on projects near rapid transit. Discounts will include a fee rebate for rezoning, engineering site servicing, and building permits. 

“The policy rationale is that upzoning permits higher density and more affordable housing,” Ley wrote. “Unfortunately land and other costs are so high that the new developments, whether rental or ownership, are not affordable for the ‘missing middle’ the intended beneficiaries.”

“It’s a very good idea if the government creates housing near SkyTrain stations and bus stations,” Dhaliwal says. “It saves time.”

Details about incentives and programs under the action plan will be released this year along with applications for applicable programs. For more information about the action plan, visit the City of Surrey’s website.