The Pitfalls of David Eby's New Zoning Approach

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🚧 Eby’s 6-Plex Power Move: Or How to Cram a City into Your Backyard

Well folks, David Eby’s government has done it — they’ve launched a bold new zoning policy that says, “Hey, why stop at one house when you can slap six homes on a single lot and call it progress?” That's right. The goal: tackle the housing crisis one mini-mansion-stack at a time. Commendable? Sure. Logical? TBD. Affordable? Only if your idea of affordability includes selling your soul and possibly your garage.

But hold your hard hats — let’s critically dig into this. Because while the 6-plex dream sounds like a HGTV spin-off waiting to happen, it may also come with a plot twist of sky-high costs and chaos.

First concern? Cold, hard cash. Multi-unit homes = complex builds = contractors charging more than your last vacation. These designs aren’t your basic bungalows — they’re the architectural equivalent of a Rubik’s cube. Which means the price tag goes up, and so does your blood pressure if you’re the buyer.

The new rules allow 3 to 4 units on your friendly neighborhood single-family lot — you know, the one where your dog used to roam free. But now that dirt is hotter than Vancouver real estate in July. Increased demand = inflated land prices = developers laughing nervously while typing “how to cut corners without getting sued.”

And if you’re still holding onto your white-picket-fence fantasy, sorry — single-family homes are the wallflowers at this zoning party. They didn’t get an invite. Demand stays high, prices stay higher, and now we’re all fighting over who gets the last avocado toast and a driveway.

Yes, higher density sounds exciting. But have you met our infrastructure? It’s about as prepared as a first-year drama student in Hamlet. More people means more pressure — on pipes, parking, schools, and your last nerve. Suddenly, “walkable neighborhood” means “15-minute walk to escape the traffic.”

Traditionally, developers had to grovel before councils and neighbors to build more units — now, Eby’s policy has hit them with a cheat code. No rezoning process. Just straight to six units like a housing version of "Uno: Skip All the Rules Edition." What could go wrong? (Answer: everything. Including angry neighbors and a total WiFi bandwidth collapse.)

“From cozy cul-de-sac to condo canyon — faster than you can say ‘gentle density.’”

Oh, and neighborhood charm? Might want to say goodbye. That quaint street full of character homes is about to get a visit from the Boxy Modern Brigade™. You know the type: tall, grey, slightly menacing, and definitely built using the same template from four doors down. Resistance is inevitable, and legal drama is just around the corner.

Now let’s talk transit: if your lot is near a frequent-service bus stop (yes, those still exist), congratulations! You just unlocked the coveted 6-unit jackpot. But here’s the catch — this may lead to a frenzy of development in only certain areas, leaving other neighborhoods untouched and deeply offended. Think urban development’s version of high school clique politics.

In the end, BC’s zoning shake-up is like trying to solve a puzzle by flipping the board. Sure, something might click, but it also might just break the table. Until we address construction costs, protect the vibe of our communities, and invest in infrastructure that doesn’t weep under pressure, true affordability remains a magical unicorn we keep chasing around the housing forest.