Developer warns full repeal of BC housing law could add red tape, as Oak Bay mayor backs Doerkson's plan
Oak Bay mayor supports the premier-designate's plan to end provincial housing targets and repeal Bill 44, while a Victoria developer warns the law covers more than multiplexes.
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A Victoria developer is warning that fully repealing BC's housing legislation could add red tape for homebuilders, while Oak Bay's mayor says he welcomes premier-designate Lorne Doerkson's plan to end provincial housing targets and scrap the law.
Doerkson has said the incoming Conservative government will end the housing unit targets the NDP set for municipalities and repeal Bill 44, the law that allowed multi-unit homes to be built in residential zones without individual rezoning approvals. He said the province should not be dictating to local governments what to build or where, CTV News reported on November 3.
Oak Bay's experience with the directive
Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch said Tuesday he supports the new approach. He told CTV News that while increasing density is a goal his community shares, the NDP's method of setting and enforcing targets left residents feeling powerless.
Oak Bay received a formal provincial directive after the city delivered 16 of 56 net-new housing units set by the provincial targets. That directive required the city to change its local bylaws to comply.
"Because the province imposed a top-down model, we've actually had a lot more negative feedback to housing since then," Murdoch said, according to CTV News.
He said the tone from Doerkson's team suggests the new government wants to work with municipalities rather than issue directives to them.
Developer's warning about Bill 44's scope
Luk Mari, who heads Victoria-based Aryze Developments, says the government should be careful about how it handles the repeal. He told CTV News that Bill 44 is broader than the multiplex rules that have drawn the most attention. The law also contains other provisions that homebuilders rely on to get projects approved.
"Bill 44 is much more than just multiplexes. If you want to get rid of multiplexes, get rid of multiplexes but there's lots of other legislation that's incredibly valuable to homebuilders," Mari said, according to CTV News.
He warned that removing all of it could have the opposite effect from what Doerkson has promised: more red tape for builders, not less. "By peeling back some of these policies we're doing the complete opposite of what this incoming government has said they would like to do," he said.
What the platform promises
The Conservative platform promises to let local governments decide where new density goes, tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-local-say-on-density, and to work with municipalities so their zoning bylaws match their own community plans rather than provincial targets, tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-zoning-match-community-plans.
No specific bill or timeline for the changes has been announced. Doerkson and his cabinet will be sworn in on November 20, 2026, after which the government can begin introducing legislation. BC residents who want to follow the housing commitments as they are acted on can track them at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker.
Questions this story answers
What is Doerkson's plan for BC's housing legislation?
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has said he will end the provincial housing targets that the NDP set for municipalities and repeal Bill 44, the law that allowed multi-unit homes to be built in residential zones without rezoning. He has said the province should not be telling local governments what to build or where. His government is set to be sworn in on November 20, 2026. The platform promises are tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-local-say-on-density.
Why does Oak Bay's mayor support ending BC's housing targets?
Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch told CTV News he welcomes Doerkson's approach and said the NDP's top-down housing model left residents feeling powerless. He said increasing density is a shared goal in Oak Bay, but the province's method created more negative feedback about housing projects. Oak Bay received a provincial directive after the city delivered 16 of 56 net-new housing units required under the NDP targets.
What is Bill 44?
Bill 44 is the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, passed by the NDP government. It allowed multi-unit homes, including multiplexes, to be built in single-family residential zones across BC without each project needing a separate rezoning approval. Premier-designate Doerkson has said he intends to repeal it as part of returning housing decisions to local governments.
Why is a Victoria developer warning against full repeal of Bill 44?
Luk Mari, the head of Victoria-based Aryze Developments, told CTV News that Bill 44 covers more than just multiplexes. He said there are other provisions in the law that homebuilders find valuable, and removing them all could add back the red tape that Doerkson's government says it wants to cut. He said the government should be careful that returning to the old system does not make housing approvals harder, not easier.
What comes next for BC's housing policy?
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson and his cabinet will be sworn in on November 20, 2026. After that, the government can begin introducing legislation to end housing targets and repeal or amend Bill 44. No specific bill or timeline has been announced as of November 4. The government's housing commitments are tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker.
What did Oak Bay's housing directive require?
The province under the NDP government issued a directive to Oak Bay after the municipality delivered 16 of 56 net-new housing units set by provincial targets. The directive required the city to amend its local bylaws to meet the targets. Mayor Kevin Murdoch said this provincial instruction left residents feeling they had lost control over their own community's decisions.
What other housing changes has Doerkson signalled?
Beyond ending housing targets and repealing Bill 44, the Conservative platform includes commitments to cut taxes and charges that raise the cost of building new homes, shorten approval timelines, and work with municipalities so their zoning bylaws match their official community plans rather than provincial targets. The full set of housing promises is tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker.
Where can I follow what Doerkson's government does on housing?
voche.me tracks every housing promise in the Conservative Party of BC's 2026 platform. The government tracker at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker shows each promise, its platform page and its current status. The two housing promises most directly at issue here are tracked at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-local-say-on-density and /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-zoning-match-community-plans.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- CTV News, November 3, 2026ctvnews.ca
- Conservative Party of BC 2026 platform (pages 5 and 6)conservativebc.ca
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