CASTLEGAR – BC NDP MLA Katrine Conroy says that new homes will be approved faster in Castlegar thanks to a grant for the local government to create a more efficient development approvals process.

“The demand for housing in Castlegar and communities across the province continues to grow, and we’re addressing the issue from all angles,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West. “This funding will help local governments to speed up their part of the process, so we can get housing built faster for the people who need it.”

Castlegar received a grant of $90,000 as part of the Local Government Development Approvals Program (LGPAD). 

The program encourages local governments to explore innovative approaches to improve development approval processes, from the pre-application phase to the issuance of the building permit.  

This year the New Democrat government is providing approximately $4.4 million for 37 local governments around B.C. to participate in this program through UBCM.  

This is the second intake for LGPAD, an application-based grant fund administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. To date, this program has provided approximately $19 million to help local governments implement best practices and test innovative approaches to improve development approval processes while meeting planning and policy objectives. 

The program will support the government’s Homes for People action plan to unlock more homes, faster.   

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/31091