Most BC mayors back Doerkson's plan to repeal provincial housing density law
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson says he will repeal Bill 44, the law that required municipalities to allow more units on residential lots. Most mayors interviewed by the Vancouver Sun said they support the change.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on vancouversun.com.
The Vancouver Sun reported on Nov. 2, 2026 that premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has told mayors he will repeal Bill 44, the provincial law that required municipalities to allow more homes on residential lots. Most mayors interviewed by the paper said they support removing that requirement.
Doerkson told the Vancouver Sun he does not believe the legislature in Victoria has any right to tell communities like Penticton, Chilliwack or his home community of Williams Lake how to build housing. He said the new government will take an approach built on "respect and support" for communities, rather than dictating to them.
What Bill 44 required
The Vancouver Sun reported that Bill 44, introduced in 2023 by the NDP, required all municipalities of more than 5,000 residents to allow construction of up to 4 units on a single-family lot, and up to 6 units on a lot near transit. A separate law, Bill 43, allowed the province to set housing targets for municipalities and place advisers into those that missed them.
Doerkson said he plans to repeal Bill 44 and may also repeal Bill 43. The Vancouver Sun reported he reiterated this position in a conversation with Postmedia News.
What mayors said
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West told the Vancouver Sun he was one of 16 Metro Vancouver mayors who urged the province to roll back Bills 43 and 44 in December 2025. He called the NDP's approach to local government "borderline arrogant" and said he looks forward to seeing whether Doerkson takes a different approach.
What the platform promised
The Conservative platform, on page 6, promised that local governments and residents would decide where new density goes and what it looks like, with municipalities held to their own existing Official Community Plans. This promise is tracked at the BC provincial tracker.
BC residents who want to follow the government's decisions on this housing law can check the tracker at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-local-say-on-density.
Questions this story answers
What is Bill 44 and what does it require?
According to the Vancouver Sun, Bill 44 was introduced by the NDP under Premier David Eby and then-Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon in 2023. It requires all municipalities of more than 5,000 residents to allow construction of up to 4 units on a single-family lot, and 6 units on a lot near transit. The province said it was aimed at increasing the supply of homes.
What did Doerkson say about Bill 44?
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson told the Vancouver Sun he will repeal Bill 44. He also said he does not believe the provincial legislature in Victoria has any right to tell communities like Penticton, Chilliwack or his home community of Williams Lake how to build housing. He said he sees an opportunity for a new relationship with municipalities built on 'respect and support' rather than direction from Victoria.
What is Bill 43 and is it also being repealed?
The Vancouver Sun reported that Bill 43, passed around the same time as Bill 44, allowed the province to set housing targets for municipalities and appoint advisers to those that missed them. Doerkson told the paper he may also repeal Bill 43, though he has not confirmed it. Some municipalities, including West Vancouver and Oak Bay, were placed under advisers under Bill 43 after the province deemed them obstructive.
What did Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West say about the housing laws?
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West told the Vancouver Sun he had long been a critic of what he called the 'one-size-fits-all approach' the province took to housing under the NDP. He was one of 16 Metro Vancouver mayors who urged the province to roll back Bills 43 and 44 in December 2025. He told the paper he looks forward to seeing whether Doerkson takes a different approach than his predecessor.
What does the BC Conservative platform say about local housing decisions?
The Conservative platform, on page 6, says municipal governments will be held to their own Official Community Plans with density targets, and that local governments and residents should decide where density goes and what it looks like. The full promise is tracked at the BC provincial tracker under 'Let local governments decide where new density goes.'
What does the repeal of Bill 44 mean for renters and home buyers?
The Vancouver Sun article, published Nov. 2, 2026, does not include a projection for how repealing Bill 44 will change the number of homes built in BC. Doerkson and most mayors argue that local governments should set density rules based on local infrastructure and community plans. Groups that supported Bill 44 argued that allowing more units per lot was a way to increase housing supply and slow the rise in housing costs.
Where can I follow the government's housing promises?
The BC provincial tracker at voche.me follows the incoming government's commitments, including the promise to let local governments decide where new density goes. See it at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-local-say-on-density. You can also follow premier-designate Doerkson's page at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/lorne-doerkson.
Who is the BC Conservative platform promising this to?
The platform's housing promise covers all BC municipalities. Doerkson mentioned Williams Lake, Penticton and Chilliwack as examples of communities he believes should not have housing density rules set by Victoria. The platform commits to holding municipal governments to their own existing Official Community Plans rather than to new provincially set density targets.
Sources
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