Housing

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

Following BC's Bill 44 (Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2023), Silvermere adopted Bylaw 411 (Zoning) in July 2024, opening up small-scale multi-unit housing on most residential lots. This covers secondary suites, basement suites, carriage houses, and garden suites. See the accessory dwellings page for current rules and how to start a project.

Silvermere Housing Strategy

The City's Housing Strategy was presented to Council on August 16, 2021, and sets out five focus areas: Affordable Housing, Housing Diversity, Rental Housing, Barrier Reduction, and Partnerships. See the Housing Strategy page for the full breakdown.

Housing Needs Reports

BC requires municipalities to publish regular Housing Needs Reports. For the most current Silvermere Housing Needs Assessment, contact Development Services or check the Master Plans section of the City's reports library.

Tenant resources

Tenancy issues in BC are primarily governed by the Residential Tenancy Act and administered by the BC Residential Tenancy Branch, not the City. For rent-related disputes, evictions, or repairs issues, the RTB at gov.bc.ca/residential-tenancies is the right starting point.

Homeowner and builder resources

For homeowners planning renovations or new construction, the City publishes guides and works closely with Development Services:

• ADU design guides, free from the City for existing-building conversions and new construction
• Standardized Housing Designs, free from the Province, BC Building Code compliant
• Pre-application meetings with Development Services, the single most valuable step

Current housing initiatives

The City’s housing work combines the Housing Needs Report, OCP policies (Bylaw 404), and Zoning Bylaw amendments (Bylaw 411) to address supply and affordability. Current major initiatives include the ADU expansion under Bill 44, the Infill Housing Program grant application, and an ongoing review of zoning to support more housing types in more places.