Canada is heading into a federal election, and across the country—including right here in Chilliwack—housing affordability is on everyone’s mind.
For many families, it feels like the dream of homeownership is getting further out of reach. People who already own homes are starting to wonder: will my kids ever be able to afford a place of their own here? Seniors are considering downsizing but can’t find anything suitable or affordable. Renters are hanging on tight as prices remain high and options are limited.
So, let’s take a look at what the three main federal parties are promising, and what it could actually mean for people living, renting, or building in Chilliwack.
This post was written based on information available as of April 2, 2025, and isn’t about endorsing any one party. It’s about helping people make sense of the policies through a Chilliwack lens.
All three major parties agree that Canada needs more housing, and that the federal government should play a role in making that happen. There's also a shared belief that the system needs some kind of incentive to kickstart building — whether that's for the buyer or the builder.
One of the most visible points of agreement is tax relief. Both the Liberals and Conservatives want to eliminate GST on new home purchases. The difference is in the fine print. The Liberals are targeting first-time buyers purchasing new homes under $1 million, while the Conservatives are offering it more broadly: any buyer, as long as the home is under $1.3 million. In practice, the two policies are more similar than different — both are trying to bring down the cost of buying new.
The parties also agree—at least in principle—on the need to support rental housing. While their methods vary, there’s a shared understanding that Canada needs more places for people to rent, not just own. The Liberals and NDP are more explicit in this space, pledging funding or financing tools to support rental supply. The Conservatives, while more focused on market dynamics, still acknowledge that increasing supply of all housing types—including rentals—is part of their broader strategy.
There’s also a common thread when it comes to cutting down red tape. All parties recognize that building takes too long in many places. The Liberals and Conservatives both want to streamline permitting and speed up approvals, especially for high-density or prefab construction. Even the NDP, while more focused on tenant protections, have voiced support for efforts to eliminate bureaucratic delays that prevent affordable projects from moving forward.
And finally, though only some parties explicitly mention it, there’s a quiet agreement around the importance of partnering with non-profits and municipalities. Whether it’s through funding programs, land use coordination, or support for affordable housing providers, the message is the same: local governments and non-profits can’t do this alone.
So while the headlines often focus on differences, there is real consensus on a few key ideas: more supply, more support for renters, fewer barriers to building, and better collaboration across all levels of government.
Here’s where things split. While the goal of solving the housing crisis is shared, the approach isn’t.
The most fundamental difference between the parties comes down to this: should the federal government build homes directly?
The Liberals say yes. They want to create a new public agency called Build Canada Homes, with a mandate to build, finance, and manage housing projects across the country. That includes things like student housing, senior housing, and affordable rentals.
Garrison Crossing in Chilliwack is a great local example of what can happen when a federally backed agency gets involved in development. That project was managed by Canada Lands Company, a crown corporation responsible for repurposing former military land. While there are certainly differences between what Canada Lands does and what Build Canada Homes is proposing, the takeaway is clear: when the federal government is footing the bill and taking the lead, the scale and long-term planning of a project can look very different.
The Conservatives and NDP take a different tack. They aren’t proposing to build homes directly. Instead, they want to create market conditions that encourage private developers and non-profits to take the lead. (The NDP would help fund these organizations, but not build units themselves.)
In short, only the Liberals want to pick up the hammer themselves.
One of the biggest financial hurdles to building housing in Chilliwack is the Development Cost Charge (DCC). These are fees collected by the City before a subdivision or building permit is issued, and they help pay for major infrastructure improvements—things like sewer, water, roads, drainage systems, and parks.
The philosophy behind DCCs is rooted in the idea that "growth should pay for growth." Instead of asking current taxpayers to foot the bill for infrastructure that new developments will use, the costs are passed on to the developer—and, ultimately, the homebuyer or renter.
That sounds fair in theory, but in practice, DCCs can become a serious cost barrier. Here’s what those fees look like right now in Chilliwack:
That means a 60-unit apartment building could face DCCs of $1.2 million or more before construction even starts. And for smaller, non-profit, or affordable housing projects, that kind of overhead can be the thing that stops a project from happening altogether.
It’s important to note that removing DCCs entirely would leave a big funding gap for the city—which could mean higher property taxes for everyone else. That’s why most municipalities, including Chilliwack, are cautious about changing the model.
But the federal government has room to play a different role. The Liberals are proposing to cut DCCs in half for multi-unit projects, and then reimburse cities for the lost revenue for five years. In other words, they’re using federal money to reduce the upfront burden on builders without compromising local infrastructure funding.
Neither the Conservatives nor the NDP have proposed any similar measures. Under their plans, DCCs would stay as they are.
There’s one more twist here. Because DCCs are calculated on a per-unit basis, the lower charge for micro apartments might unintentionally incentivize builders to prioritize the smallest, most compact units. That could be helpful for some renters—but it may not reflect the actual needs of the community, like family-sized rentals or affordable two- and three-bedroom units. So DCCs don’t just affect how much gets built—they can also shape what kind of homes we end up with.
Sometimes it’s not the price of the home that’s the problem. It’s getting approved for the mortgage.
The NDP are promising to help with that. They want to create low-interest, government-backed mortgages through CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) to make it easier for first-time buyers to qualify.
The Liberals and Conservatives aren’t offering new mortgage tools, but their GST cuts would lower the purchase price of new homes and reduce the amount you need to borrow.
There is one additional piece in the Conservative plan that could influence development activity: they are proposing to defer capital gains taxes when property owners sell and reinvest in Canada, including in housing. This wouldn't apply to every buyer or seller, but for certain developers or landowners, it could ease the financial burden of selling a property to make way for housing projects.
So, if qualifying is your biggest hurdle, the NDP is speaking your language. If you just need to bring down the price, the Liberals and Conservatives are giving you a tax break. And if you're in the position of selling land for development, the Conservatives are offering an incentive to make that decision easier.
Chilliwack’s housing shortage isn’t just about raw numbers. It’s also about the types of housing we’re missing.
There aren’t enough three-bedroom apartments for families. Seniors looking to downsize are competing for the same small inventory. Young adults are still living at home, not because they want to, but because there are no affordable rental options nearby.
Non-profit housing plays a big role in filling those gaps — but it needs support.
The Liberals are pledging to build and fund deeply affordable housing, supportive housing, and units specifically for students and seniors.
The NDP support non-profit housing and co-ops, and would help them secure financing, but stop short of building directly.
The Conservatives believe the market will take care of the need — if governments get out of the way.
The question for Chilliwack is: will the market build the variety we actually need? Or does it need a push?
Every party agrees that housing approvals are taking too long—but they don’t all agree on why or what to do about it.
Strong environmental policies—like riparian setbacks, stormwater management, and environmental assessments—play an important role in protecting sensitive land and reducing flood risk. In a place like Chilliwack, those protections matter.
But not all rules are helpful. Some builders face duplicate approval processes at different levels of government, or have to get environmental assessments on already-cleared land. That’s where the frustration sets in.
The Conservatives want to cut red tape, especially environmental regulations—but they haven’t spelled out which ones. That could mean real improvements to speed up housing, or it could undermine protections we actually need. The details matter.
Where they are clearer is in their “stick” approach to speeding up approvals. If municipalities don’t approve enough homes fast enough, they risk losing federal infrastructure funding. It’s a tough-love strategy aimed at getting results. It goes without saying that our local Council has been very sensitive to similar threats from the BC Government to intervene if housing targets aren't met.
The Liberals take more of a “carrot” approach—offering support for streamlining approvals, pre-approved designs, and digitized permitting systems. These ideas line up with what the BC government is already rolling out.
Meanwhile, the NDP focus more on protecting renters than on speeding up approvals. That may help renters—but it could also make small landlords rethink whether they want to rent at all. If you’ve got a basement suite and new rules make things more complicated, you can’t just sell it—you might just stop renting it out.
That’s how well-meaning policies can unintentionally shrink rental supply, especially the informal units people quietly rely on.
| Policy Feature | Liberal Party | Conservative Party | NDP |
| GST removal on new homes | ✅ First-time buyers < $1M | ✅ All buyers < $1.3M | ❌ |
| Federal homebuilding agency | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Pressure on municipalities | ✅ With Incentives | ✅ With Consequences | ❌ |
| Prefab/modular support | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Low-interest public mortgage option | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| DCC relief for developers | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Tax incentives | ✅ Multiple Unit Residential Building | ✅ Capital Gains | ❌ |
| Support for non-profit housing | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Funding for rental housing | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Environmental/regulation reform | ✅ Aligns with BC | ✅ Aggressive | ⚠️ Unclear |
You’ve got a stable job, you’ve been saving for years, but every time you think you’re close, rates go up or the price of homes jumps again.
The NDP might help you qualify with a government-backed mortgage. The Liberals and Conservatives would knock off a chunk of GST if you can get the financing on your own. But watch out: the Conservative plan applies to everyone, including investors, which could make it harder to compete.
You’re in your forever home, but you’re starting to wonder where your kids are going to live. The Liberals say they’ll build starter homes and rentals. The NDP are counting on non-profits to do the same, with some help. The Conservatives are betting the private market will do the job if they reduce costs and approvals.
Your place is too big, but the downsizing options in Chilliwack are limited. The Liberals plan includes building new senior-focused housing. The NDP would fund non-profits to create more of those options. The Conservatives are hoping more supply means more choice, but there are no guarantees it’ll be the kind of housing you're looking for.
Chilliwack is growing. That’s not going to stop. So the real question isn’t if more housing gets built, it’s what kind, how fast, and who benefits.
Each federal party brings a different angle to this challenge. Some want to build. Some want to get out of the way. Some want to protect what’s already there.
No matter who forms government, the pressure on housing isn’t going away. And the choices they make will shape the future of Chilliwack.
