By Erin Knutson

By the month’s end, the City of Fernie will receive government funding from the British Columbia Ministry of Housing for $175,989 toward community housing initiatives.

According to the city, Fernie is one of several municipalities that qualify for funds to help aid efforts to combat the housing crisis in the province from a pool of $51 million.

“The funding is for local government implementation of the legislative changes to support housing initiatives, including small-scale multi-unit housing and proactive planning, development finance, and transit-oriented development,” said Assistant Deputy Minister Housing and Land Use Policy Division Ministry of Housing Bindi Sawchuk in correspondence to mayor and council.

Money allocated to Fernie reflects a formula created to determine the need of communities and their access to resources to adhere to new legislative requirements toward housing.

“Examples of these requirements include amendments to an existing zoning bylaw, parking bylaw, Official Community Plan (OCP), Official Development Plan (ODP), Development Cost Charge (DCC) bylaw, Development Cost Levy (DCL) Housing Needs Report (HNR), as well as the development of a new zoning bylaw, OCP, ODP, DCC, DCL or new amenity cost charge (ACC) bylaw,” said Sawchuk.

Funding has been confirmed according to Sawchuk’s letter to the City of Fernie and is expected to be received by February 2024 – the funds will also help with any staffing or consulting fees that might emerge because of the ministry’s initiative toward more progressive housing solutions.

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