The City of Delta is initiating the Home Suite Home program to encourage property owners to add a secondary suite to their home.

The program will include a limited-time offer for the waiver of building permit application fees, as well as a free pre-application process, saving the property owner approximately $400.

Delta is also updating its secondary suite bylaws to comply with provincial regulations including Ministerial Order 279/2023 requiring Delta to meet a five-year target of 3,607 net new housing units starting October 1, 2023, to create affordable housing in single-detached and duplex neighbourhoods.

To address the housing crisis, the province passed legislation in November 2022, including Bill 43 – 2022: Housing Supply Act to increase the supply of affordable homes by requiring municipalities to update bylaws to stop restricting the development of housing.

This act (the premier’s housing plan), gives the province the power to set housing targets in municipalities with the greatest need and highest projected population growth rate. Municipalities are also required to have a housing needs report. 

DELTA COMPLIES WITH PROVINCIAL REQUIREMENTS

Delta prepared a Housing Needs Assessment Report which found that of all apartments in the municipality, 28 per cent of secondary suites were in North Delta, 12 per cent were in Ladner, and just six per cent were in Tsawwassen.

To address the shortage of secondary suites, Delta is amending:

• Delta Zoning Bylaw No. 7600, 2017 amendment (Secondary Suites – P24-02) Bylaw No. 8379, 2024 to:
  • Amend the definition of secondary suite occupancy permit to authorize the general manager, development to issue a secondary suite occupancy permit.
  • Amend the general regulations for secondary suites to authorize the general manager, development to revoke an occupancy permit for secondary suites that are not suitable to occupy from a health and safety point of view and to approve the decommissioning of a secondary suite.
• Delta Business Licence Bylaw No. 7670, 2017 Amendment (Secondary Suites and Rental Permit – P24-02) Bylaw No. 8380, 2024 to:
  • Remove licensing requirements for secondary suites.
  • Remove licensing fees for secondary suites.
• Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw No. 6639, 2007 Amendment (Rental Permit- P24-02) Bylaw No. 8381, 2024 to:
  • Remove the penalty for an owner leasing or renting a secondary suite without a valid rental permit from the list of penalties in Schedule 1.
• Delta Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 7009, 2011 Amendment (Rental Permit- P24-02) Bylaw No. 8387, 2024 to:
  • Remove reference to the penalty for an owner leasing or renting a secondary suite without a valid Rental Permit from the list of penalties in Schedule A.

INCENTIVE TO BUILD A SECONDARY SUITE

To help homeowners build secondary suites, the province introduced the Secondary Suites Incentive program in 2023 to provide forgivable loans up to $40,000 to create a new secondary suite or an accessory dwelling unit on their property. To qualify, the units must be rented below market rates for at least five years.

Source: https://www.gvrealtors.ca/news-archive/delta-making-it-easier-to-build-a-secondary-suite.html