Letter from District of Oak Bay Re: Town of View Royal - Request to Auditor General for Audit of BC Government Bill 44

December 14, 2023

Auditor General of British Columbia Office of the Auditor General 623 Fort Street Victoria, BC V8W 1G1

Dear Mr. Pickup:

Re: Town of View Royal - Request to Auditor General for Audit of BC Government Bill 44

At the District of Oak Bay Council meeting held November 27, 2023, Oak Bay Council passed a motion in support of View Royal’s letter requesting a comprehensive value-for-money audit on the Government’s Bill 44, known as the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act.

Oak Bay is looking to expand housing options, is supportive of urgent changes to facilitate needed housing, and supports a multi-governmental approach to the housing crisis. We also share View Royal’s concerns that the legislative approach recently passed by the Province carries significant time and material costs to municipalities, disrupts important initiatives already underway, can negatively impact our ability to address other Provincially-identified priorities like Climate Change, creates zoning of a scale disproportionate to the Province’s own housing needs projections, and is insensitive to local constraints. As noted by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) President this week, the legislation shows a marked departure from the normally collaborative approach to land use planning between municipalities and the Province. We appreciate your consideration of the request for a value-for-money audit.

The correspondence from the Town of View Royal is attached for your information.

Yours truly,

Kevin Murdoch, Mayor District of Oak Bay

Encl. cc. Mayor Sid Tobias, Town of View Royal Oak Bay Council