Where every party stands on housing
5 of the 6 parties on the October 17 ballot have published something on housing and zoning. Here they are side by side, each with its source.
BEFORE YOU COMPARE
Who actually decides this
Section 479 of the Local Government Act lets a local government, by bylaw, divide the municipality into zones and regulate the use and density of land, buildings and other structures within each zone. In Richmond, Council adopts those bylaws.
Read the commitments below against that. Where a party proposes something the city cannot do on its own, the commitment carries a line naming who holds the power. That is not a criticism of the promise. A council can lobby, fund and argue, and saying so plainly is more useful than pretending the limit does not exist.
WHAT THE COMPARISON SHOWS
Reading this ballot on housing
5 of the 6 parties have published something here, and between them they have made 23 separate commitments. Advance Richmond has published the most, with 5.
Not one of these commitments carries a dollar figure, a count or a percentage. They set a direction, which means there is nothing here to check against a budget later.
SIDE BY SIDE
Every published position on housing
| Party | Published position | Commitments |
|---|---|---|
| Advance Richmond | Advance Richmond's candidates promised faster renovation and housing permits, with Grace Tsang's statement setting a target of three days for minor renovations and one year for high-rises. Kevin Lai's statement promised to use every lawful municipal power to oppose publicly funded housing that permits illicit drug use. The organization gives no number of homes and no cost. | 5 |
| Richmond Forward | Richmond Forward's housing pillar promises to reduce costly permit wait times, to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, to innovate to make housing more affordable, and to develop more options for seniors' services. Howard's statement to the City promises "attainable seniors' homes". The platform gives no number of homes and no target time for permits. | 5 |
| RITE Richmond | RITE Richmond's home page promises "bold action on the housing crisis". Laura Gillanders' November 2025 post on its site proposes a Richmond housing authority that would use City-owned land for rental and affordable homes and reinvest rents in new housing. In the Richmond News questionnaire, Wolfe and Gillanders both said yes to more City-owned land for affordable housing and to continuing the temporary modular housing contracts. | 5 |
| Common Sense | Common Sense's five pillars promise to break ground on "Made-in-Richmond housing initiatives" in the first term, to take full municipal jurisdiction over supportive housing so the City can enforce management standards, and to provide secure local housing for first responders. The platform names no project, no number of homes and no cost. | 4 |
| Richmond United | Hobbs told the Richmond News in March 2026 that the City should focus on seniors housing and more rental, and that the new Official Community Plan fits provincial zoning changes to each neighbourhood. In the paper's questionnaire he said yes to lower developer fees, to the small-scale multi-unit homes and to continuing the temporary modular housing, and that the real answer is permanent housing built by the Province. | 4 |
| Richmond Education Party | Nothing published. Checked October 30, 2026. | — |
ADVANCE RICHMOND
Faster permits, a "3-3-3-1" approval timeline, and no publicly funded housing that allows illicit drug use
Advance Richmond's candidates promised faster renovation and housing permits, with Grace Tsang's statement setting a target of three days for minor renovations and one year for high-rises. Kevin Lai's statement promised to use every lawful municipal power to oppose publicly funded housing that permits illicit drug use. The organization gives no number of homes and no cost.
- Fast-track renovation permits that meet the building code
- A "3-3-3-1" housing approval policy
- Legal rental suites and owner-occupied short-term rentals under a "neighbourhood-protection rule"
- Oppose publicly funded housing that permits illicit drug use
RICHMOND FORWARD
Shorter permit waits, seniors housing fast-tracked, and a freeze on permit application fees
Richmond Forward's housing pillar promises to reduce costly permit wait times, to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, to innovate to make housing more affordable, and to develop more options for seniors' services. Howard's statement to the City promises "attainable seniors' homes". The platform gives no number of homes and no target time for permits.
- Reduce permit wait times
- Incentivize and fast-track seniors housing
- Freeze City permit application fees
- More options for seniors' services
RITE RICHMOND
A City housing authority, City land for affordable homes, and the temporary modular housing kept
RITE Richmond's home page promises "bold action on the housing crisis". Laura Gillanders' November 2025 post on its site proposes a Richmond housing authority that would use City-owned land for rental and affordable homes and reinvest rents in new housing. In the Richmond News questionnaire, Wolfe and Gillanders both said yes to more City-owned land for affordable housing and to continuing the temporary modular housing contracts.
- A Richmond housing authority
- More City-owned land for affordable housing
- Continue the temporary modular housing contracts
- Purpose-built rental and a higher share of low-end market rental units
COMMON SENSE
"Made-in-Richmond" housing initiatives, City control of supportive housing, and homes for first responders
Common Sense's five pillars promise to break ground on "Made-in-Richmond housing initiatives" in the first term, to take full municipal jurisdiction over supportive housing so the City can enforce management standards, and to provide secure local housing for first responders. The platform names no project, no number of homes and no cost.
- Break ground on "Made-in-Richmond" housing initiatives in the first term
- Full municipal jurisdiction over supportive housing
- Secure local housing for first responders
- Safeguard fee simple private property ownership
RICHMOND UNITED
Seniors housing and more rental, with growth that keeps each neighbourhood's character
Hobbs told the Richmond News in March 2026 that the City should focus on seniors housing and more rental, and that the new Official Community Plan fits provincial zoning changes to each neighbourhood. In the paper's questionnaire he said yes to lower developer fees, to the small-scale multi-unit homes and to continuing the temporary modular housing, and that the real answer is permanent housing built by the Province.
- Focus the City on seniors housing and more rental
- Lower fees for developers to speed housing
- Continue the temporary modular housing, judged site by site
- Keep the character of each neighbourhood as zoning changes
NOTHING PUBLISHED YET
1 party has published nothing on this
A blank records that we looked on the date shown and found nothing on the public record. Some parties are not contesting the race that decides this subject, which is a reason to publish nothing on it.
Richmond Education Party
Nothing published on housing. Checked October 30, 2026.