Artificial intelligence and mandated targets: Strategies behind B.C.'s housing push

Housing continues to be a key talking point for the David Eby government, and one of his key lieutenants is prepared to flex his ministerial muscle to encourage, simplify and push municipalities and developers into creating more homes.

Housing continues to be a key talking point for the David Eby government, and one of his key lieutenants is prepared to flex his ministerial muscle to encourage, simplify and push municipalities and developers into creating more homes.

The headlines and pushback on the NDP’s Homes for People plan have largely been focussed on the approval of four-plex zoning across the province, but there are many more changes already underway to slash red tape, modernize permitting and approvals and compel NIMBY constituents to get on board with ambitious housing targets.

In a one-on-one interview with the housing minister, CTV News observed that the province is using its considerable legislative authority over municipalities to try and slash layers of approvals and regulations, which he did not deny.

“We are taking steps to streamline the process,” said Ravi Kahlon. “De-politicizing decision-making, making sure community planning happens on the front end, so that decisions can happen much sooner as they move through the system.”

He said the building code is being digitized over the next year, with the goal that every housing application going to any city hall in British Columbia will go through the same electronic approval process, with initial approvals green-lit by artificial intelligence software.

“There are jurisdictions all around the world that are doing it, we just need to catch up,” said Kahlon, who believes that 30 to 40 reviews, inspections and approvals for a project are signs of “some serious structural changes that have to happen” and that he’s open to the idea of pre-approved home designs and other innovations.

Kahlon also told CTV News that in the coming weeks, his government will be getting even more aggressive with slow-moving councils.