It wasn’t supposed to go this way. When Premier David Eby unveiled British Columbia’s ambitious housing plan last November, his government pitched Bill 15 as the solution to the province’s housing crisis. Fast forward six months, and the legislation has instead become a flashpoint for one of the most significant tensions between Victoria, municipalities, and First Nations in recent memory.
“This process feels rushed and disrespectful,” Chief Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake First Nation told me during a community meeting last week. “We’re being asked to accept sweeping changes to land use decisions with minimal consultation.”
The Housing Statutes Amendment Act, or Bill 15, aims to speed up housing construction by allowing multi-unit homes in areas previously zoned for single-family dwellings. But as municipalities and First Nations dig into the details, many are pushing back against what they see as provincial overreach.
At last week’s Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver, the frustration was palpable. Mayor Ken Sim of Vancouver captured the mood: “We support more housing, but this isn’t collaboration—it’s imposition.”
The legislation gives the province power to override local zoning rules near transit hubs and allows buildings with up to four units on lots currently restricted to single-family homes. The province argues these measures are necessary to address a housing crisis that has pushed homeownership beyond reach for many British Columbians.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon defended the approach, citing BC Stats data showing the province needs approximately 108,000 new homes annually for the next decade. “The status quo isn’t working,” Kahlon said in a statement provided to Mediawall. “We’re facing a housing emergency that requires bold action.”
But First Nations leaders argue the bill undermines years of progress on reconciliation. The First Nations Leadership Council, representing the BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit, and Union of BC Indian Chiefs, has called for Bill 15 to be withdrawn entirely.
“We weren’t meaningfully consulted despite this legislation potentially affecting reserve lands and territories under active treaty negotiations,” said Regional Chief Terry Teegee of the BC Assembly of First Nations. He pointed out that increased density near existing reserves could strain already limited infrastructure and create new pressures on adjacent First Nations lands.
The province’s own data reveals the complexity of the housing challenge. According to BC Housing’s 2022 report, Indigenous people represent approximately 39% of homeless individuals in the province despite making up just 5.9% of the population. Critics argue Bill 15 does little to address this disparity.
What makes this standoff particularly significant is how it has united groups that don’t typically align politically. Conservative-leaning suburban councils and progressive urban Indigenous advocates find themselves on the same side, opposing what they view as a top-down approach to complex local issues.
In Surrey, where housing prices have jumped 37% since 2020 according to the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, Mayor Brenda Locke expressed concern about infrastructure capacity. “We’re already struggling with school overcrowding and inadequate transit. Adding density without addressing these issues first puts the cart before the horse.”
The conflict highlights a fundamental tension in Canadian governance—the balance between provincial authority and local autonomy. Under the Constitution Act, municipalities exist as “creatures of the province,” but First Nations have distinct rights recognized under Section 35.
This legal distinction creates an awkward dynamic where provincial powers over municipalities are clear, but obligations to First Nations consultation are governed by different standards. Legal experts suggest this could expose Bill 15 to potential court challenges.
“The duty to consult First Nations isn’t just good policy—it’s constitutional law,” explained Professor Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, former BC Representative for Children and Youth and law professor at the University of British Columbia. “If meaningful consultation didn’t occur, there could be grounds for judicial review.”
The province has attempted to address some concerns by creating exemptions for certain municipalities and promising infrastructure funding, but many local leaders remain unconvinced. They point to strained relationships with BC Hydro, insufficient school capacity, and overtaxed water systems as barriers to accommodating rapid growth.
What’s often lost in the debate is the human element. In Campbell River, where housing prices have increased 43% since 2019 according to the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, young families and seniors feel caught in the middle of this jurisdictional battle.
“I just want a place my kids can afford someday,” said Jennifer Watts, a nurse and mother of three I met at a community housing forum. “But I also understand why the We Wai Kai Nation is concerned about how development affects their territory. There has to be a better way.”
Some communities are finding middle ground. The City of Victoria and Songhees Nation recently announced a memorandum of understanding on housing cooperation that predates Bill 15 but offers a potential model for collaboration.
“When First Nations are true partners in planning, everyone benefits,” said Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto. “The province could learn from these ground-up approaches rather than imposing solutions from above.”
As the fall legislative session approaches, the Eby government faces difficult choices. Backing down could undermine its housing agenda, but pushing forward risks both legal challenges and damaged relationships with key partners in addressing the housing crisis.
Perhaps the most telling critique comes from those with experience navigating provincial-municipal relations. Former Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, who supported density increases during his term, suggested the province misread the room. “Housing policy needs buy-in from those who implement it. Without that, even good ideas face unnecessary resistance.”
For British Columbians watching this unfold, the debate represents more than abstract governance questions. It reflects deeper concerns about who controls the future of communities and whether reconciliation promises will be honored when they conflict with other government priorities.
The coming weeks will test Premier Eby’s commitment to both housing affordability and meaningful Indigenous relationships. For now, a policy intended to build bridges to the future appears instead to be building walls between levels of government.
