Langford Housing Strategy Adoption

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to present Council with the final Housing Strategy for consideration of adoption.

The Strategy establishes a framework for supporting Langford's housing needs over the next 20 years and enabling the delivery of approximately 17,000 new homes that meet the needs of residents at different income levels and stages of life. It addresses all forms of housing, from market homeownership to affordable rental and social housing. The Strategy also recognizes that livable communities require more than housing alone. Access to parks, public spaces, services, transportation, and community amenities all play an important role in creating a complete community.

To support these objectives, the Strategy identifies 32 actions aimed at increasing housing affordability, suitability, and choice.

While the Strategy is based on a 20-year planning horizon, the actions are intended to guide implementation over the next five years and will be advanced in accordance with the City's budgeting and Council decision-making processes.

This approach allows the City to respond to new housing data, demographic trends, economic conditions, legislative changes, and emerging opportunities while maintaining a consistent long-term direction. As community needs evolve, future updates may introduce new actions, priorities, and implementation approaches.

Development of the Strategy included targeted engagement with representatives from the non-profit housing, real estate, and development sectors, as well as input from more than 190 residents through a community survey. A draft of the Strategy was made available for public review and comment from August 27 to September 9, 2026.

Background

In June, 2025, Council adopted Bylaw No. 2200 to establish a new Official Community Plan (OCP) for Langford. The OCP sets out three Desired Outcomes for Housing Action as Langford grows to 100,000 residents, including:

1. Langford will offer a diverse range of housing choices that meet the needs of all residents;
2. Homes addressing key areas of housing need will be prioritized, significantly reducing core housing need in the city; and
3. All new homes will be well-connected to transportation options, services, and amenities.

As a key implementation measure, the OCP includes the following commitment:

Policy 8.24: Create a Housing Strategy to provide direction on how the City can improve housing choice and affordability; remove barriers to housing in the key areas of housing need; ensure the integration of family-sized housing into multi-unit residential developments consisting of 4 or more storeys in the City Centre, Urban Centres and Corridor Areas of this Plan; and implement measures to achieve the outcomes of this Part.

The City retained Modus Consulting to assist with the development of the Housing Strategy. During the same period, Modus also supported the creation of the City's Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) and Amenity Cost Charge (ACC) Bylaws, both of which play an important role in supporting affordable housing and community amenities. Advancing these projects concurrently allowed the City to align policy development and engagement activities while making efficient use of staff time and resources.

Many of the actions included in the Strategy were informed by two key-partner workshops:

1. A workshop with non-profit housing providers and advocacy organizations focused on partnerships, funding opportunities, program needs, and barriers to delivering below-market housing in Langford and the Capital Regional District.
2. A workshop with local developers, builders, and real estate professionals focused on market conditions and opportunities to improve housing delivery in Langford.

Engagement also included an online public survey. More than 190 residents participated, providing feedback on local housing challenges, priorities, and potential solutions. A summary of engagement findings is included in the Engagement Summary Report attached as Appendix B.

The draft Housing Strategy was presented to Council on August 17, 2026, and was subsequently shared with the community through the Let's Chat Langford engagement platform between August 27 and September 9, 2026. To support participation, additional notification was provided through the City's website, email newsletter, and social media channels. A summary of the feedback received, along with the key changes incorporated into the final Strategy, is presented below.

Commentary

The Strategy builds on the direction established in the Official Community Plan (OCP), the 2020 and 2024 Housing Needs Reports, the Active Transportation Plan, the Transportation Master Plan, the Parks and Trails Master Plan, and community engagement. Together, these sources provide the policy direction, evidence, and community input needed to guide how the City can use its tools, resources, and partnerships to support housing and foster complete, well-connected communities with access to parks, trails, amenities, and transportation choices. As one Langford resident noted during engagement, “the strategy should be about more than building units. It should be about building homes where people can put down roots, regardless of income or stage of life”.

The Strategy recognizes the specific role the City can play within its sphere of influence and identifies 32 actions organized under four strategies:

1. Continue to remove barriers to building homes that align with the City’s existing plans and policies.
2. Facilitate housing applications through clear, predictable processes and high-quality planning outcomes.
3. Use municipal land and funding to support housing types that are most needed or are not being delivered by the market.
4. Strengthen partnerships and advocate for funding to support housing development.

Actions are further organized into three implementation timeframes: top priority "quick start” actions, short-term and ongoing priorities (2026-2028), and medium-term priorities (2029-2030).

Implementation will occur over time as funding opportunities, partnerships, and community needs evolve, and will remain subject to the City's budget and Council decision-making processes.

The proposed “quick start” actions include pre-zoning land for affordable and innovative housing, creating incentives for family-friendly and intergenerational living, streamlining development processes, leveraging senior government funding programs, and strengthening partnerships with non-profit housing providers, First Nations, and other organizations.

The final section of the Strategy focuses on measuring progress and evaluating outcomes. A monitoring checklist establishes measurable targets, performance indicators, and an annual monitoring process to support implementation and track progress over time. Each year, staff will monitor housing approvals and completions, affordability and tenure trends, housing types, and other key indicators to assess progress toward the Strategy's objectives. This approach will help identify successes, emerging challenges, and opportunities for future action.

Final Public Feedback on the Draft

Public engagement on the draft Housing Strategy was conducted between August 27 and September 9. Many of the comments received related to topics addressed through other City plans and initiatives, including land use and density considerations within the OCP, transportation and parking matters addressed through the Transportation Master Plan, Active Transportation Plan, and Zoning Bylaw, or measures already incorporated within the Housing Strategy. These comments highlight the importance of maintaining alignment across the City’s long-term plans and initiatives, recognizing that land use, housing, transportation, and other interconnected policy areas collectively support quality of life for both new and existing residents as the city grows. In addition, several themes emerged through the engagement process that staff have identified as valuable enhancements to the final Strategy. As a result, staff recommend the following revisions:

Accessible, Adaptable, and Family-Friendly Housing

Comments suggested that greater emphasis could be placed on accessible and adaptable housing design features, as well as family-friendly housing. While accessibility standards are primarily governed through the British Columbia Building Code, the Housing Strategy already includes several actions that support adaptable housing beyond minimum code requirements. For example, Action 2, Support Innovative Building Design, encourages innovative housing forms such as lock-off suites, adaptable layouts that can respond to changing life circumstances, compact detached homes, and other emerging housing solutions. Similarly, Action 7, Create a Suite of Incentives for Family-Friendly and Intergenerational Living, supports housing designed to accommodate a range of household types and life stages, including features that facilitate intergenerational living.

To further strengthen support for families, staff recommend increasing the target for family-friendly rental housing, defined as units containing two or more bedrooms, from 50% to 60% by 2045. This increase would help expand the supply of housing suitable for larger households by encouraging a broader range of unit types, including ground-oriented units within multi-family developments, and homes designed to accommodate children and evolving household needs. The Monitoring Matrix (2045 Targets) on page 46 has been updated accordingly.

Better Data on Homelessness and Core Housing Need Indicators

Several comments expressed concern that the Strategy does not provide sufficient local data on homelessness and core housing need indicators. While many factors affecting homelessness fall outside municipal jurisdiction, the City can play an important role in enabling a broader range of housing options including supportive and transitional housing. As the Capital Regional District updates its Regional Housing Affordability Strategy, the City will explore opportunities to strengthen partnerships with the CRD and improve the use of housing and homelessness data to inform future policy development and evaluation. Action 31 has been updated to reflect this direction.

Supporting Housing Needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ Residents

It was noted that the housing needs of marginalized groups, including members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community experiencing housing instability, were not sufficiently reflected in the Strategy. Housing challenges faced by marginalized communities can limit access to essential supports and services and have broader impacts on health, education, employment, and overall well-being. The City recognizes the importance of ensuring that housing policies respond to the needs of all residents and will work with private, non-profit, and community partners to better understand and address the housing needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ residents. Action 27 has been updated accordingly.

Mobile Home Park Redevelopment Policy

Comments indicated that the proposed update to the Mobile Home Park Redevelopment Policy could provide stronger protections to ensure fair compensation and orderly redevelopment. Specifically, respondents requested more robust provisions related to resident compensation, relocation assistance, and advance notice requirements. In response, Action 9 has been revised to strengthen these considerations.

Expanding the Role of the Housing Liaison

It was recommended that the proposed Housing Liaison role could be expanded to support a broader range of housing providers, including small-scale builders and developers. Particular emphasis was placed on assisting projects delivered through Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing initiatives, in addition to affordable and innovative housing projects. While this expanded role is not proposed as a quick start action, Action 15 has been revised to recognize this potential future expansion.

Financial Implications

Many of the actions within the Housing Strategy, as well as the monitoring of key performance indicators, can be undertaken using existing staff resources. For actions that may require additional resources, such as partnership initiatives or land acquisition, Appendix B of the Strategy outlines known housing programs and funding sources that may support implementation. The implementation of all Strategy actions will remain subject to the City’s annual budget process and Council approval, as required.

Legal Implications

There are no known legal implications.

Strategic Plan Alignment

The Housing Strategy is tied to the following Strategic Plan categories:

1k - Update the Housing Needs Report.
1l - Pursue Programs and Partnerships for Affordable Housing.
1n - Tenant Assistance Supports.

Options

Option 1

THAT Council adopt the City of Langford’s Housing Strategy as presented.

OR Option 2

THAT Council take no action at this time with respect to the Housing Strategy and request further information.

Submitted By

David Sametz, RPP, MCIP, Manager of Community Planning

Concurrence

Leah Stohmann, RPP, MCIP, Director of Community Planning and Development
Melisa Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development
Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
Leah Stohmann, RPP, MCIP, Director of Community Planning and Development
Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance
Marie Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
Braden Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachments

• Schedule A: Housing Strategy
• Schedule B: Engagement Summary