As mentioned in previous updates, on November 18th, Council adopted the proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaw to implement Family Friendly Housing requirements. These amendments will increase the required percentages of two- and three-bedroom units in new multi-unit developments and introduce minimum unit sizes for these types of units. 

Additional information can be found in the  Family Friendly Housing Policy and  zoning bylaw. 

November 5th, 2024

As mentioned in previous updates, at their Council Workshop on October 21st, Council endorsed the proposed updates to the Family Friendly Housing Policy. Additionally, Council approved a motion to establish a 5 year target to be in the middle tier of comparable cities in Metro Vancouver when it comes to the construction of 3+ bedroom units in multi-family dwellings. Amendments to the zoning bylaw reflecting this policy change will come back for Council consideration of three readings on November 4th, 2024 and will not be subject to a Public Hearing.  

The proposed policy updates increase the family-friendly unit requirements for both ownership and market rental projects, with a phased approach to market rental requirements as follows:  

• Ownership projects with 10 units or more be required to have a minimum of 40% two- and three-bedroom units, with at least 15% of total units containing three- or more bedrooms.  
• Market rental projects with 10 units or more be required to have a minimum of 30% two- and three-bedroom units, with at least 10% of total units containing three- or more bedrooms.  
• Effective November 1, 2026, market rental projects with 10 units or more be required to include a minimum of 35% two- and three-bedroom units, with at least 10% of total units containing three- or more bedrooms.  

The proposed amendments also require the following minimum unit sizes for new multi-unit development projects as outlined below:   

The following projects will not be required to comply with family-friendly housing guidelines or Zoning Bylaw regulations:  

1. Ground-oriented infill and townhouse projects, due to their inherent compliance with bedroom composition requirements.  

2. Projects proposing fewer than 10 residential units, to prevent barriers to infill development.  

3. Projects proposing to add fewer than 10 residential units to existing multi-unit residential development.  

4. Affordable (e.g. below-market or non-market rental), supportive, and/or transitional housing projects that are government or non-profit owned and operated, to enable those projects to tailor units to the needs of those they serve. 

City staff included a summary of engagement findings that included feedback from UDI Members from the July 25th, 2024 UDI/New Westminster Liaison Committee Meeting that “assisted in amending the feasibility analysis and informed the draft Policy development.” 

Additional information can be found in the full report by City staff, Family Friendly Policy, Summary of Engagement Findings, and Municipal Scan Findings.  

May 21st, 2024

At a Council workshop on May 13th, Council directed staff to proceed with the proposed Family Friendly Housing Policy update work plan. In 2016, the Family Friendly Housing Policy was implemented for all multi-unit residential projects with 10 units or more. It requires minimum percentages of two and three-bedroom units in new multi-unit market and rental projects and design guidelines for bedroom design/size and unit location. City staff are proposing to revisit the policy and consider increasing the required number of family-friendly units.   

The proposed work plan will review the policy, exploring the feasibility and impacts of increasing the number of family-friendly units required and additional design guidelines such as best practices for child-friendly designs. 

Key tasks and timelines for the work plan are outlined as follows: 

• Background research - Spring 2024 
• Economic Analysis - Spring-Summer 2024 
  • The City will be retaining a consultant to assess the program's economic viability. 
• Consultation - Spring-Summer 2024 
  • The City will create a project information page on Be Heard New West and consultation will be undertaken with stakeholders, including the development community. 
• Revising Guidelines and Regulations - Fall 2024 
  • Revisions would be made to the Family Friendly Housing Policy and Zoning Bylaw regulations based on findings from the steps above. 
• Approval Process - Fall 2024 
  • Staff to present the revised Policy and Bylaw amendments to Council for consideration. 

More information can be found in the full report by City staff.