SLRD to update Housing Need and Demand Study

RFP issued; Proponents invited to submit until April 26, 2024

Pemberton, BC – The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is seeking proponents for an update to a 2019-2020 Housing Need and Demand Study (HNDS). The HNDS is a key tool in planning for the delivery of housing that meets community needs across the housing continuum.

The existing HNDS is based on 2016 census data and requires updating to reflect current conditions, 2021 census data, and new Provincial requirements introduced in the fall of 2023 under Bill 44—Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023. The study will include an updated supply analysis that looks at both a five-year and a twenty-year horizon.

“The SLRD recognizes the importance of working toward a balanced housing market that meets the needs of local residents and community members,” said Board Chair Jen Ford. “The Housing Need and Demand Study is a critical tool for elected officials, staff, and the public, providing an important snapshot of current housing conditions and projecting into the future to support effective longer-term planning work.”

The SLRD is currently home to a total of 50,496 residents (2021 Census) within its four member municipalities (District of Squamish, Resort Municipality of Whistler, Village of Pemberton and District of Lillooet) and its four electoral areas (Area A, Area B, Area C and Area D). This recent 2021 population update represents an increase of 18.4% over the 2016 population (42,665; 2016 Census), making the SLRD one of the fastest-growing regional districts in the province. The pace of growth in the SLRD is accelerating from Census to Census.

Interested proponents can find the RFP documents on BC Bid and the SLRD and PIBC websites. The submission deadline is Friday, April 26, 2024, at 4:00 pm.

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About the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District

Located in southwestern BC, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is a local government federation consisting of four member municipalities (the District of Lillooet, the District of Squamish, the Village of Pemberton and the Resort Municipality of Whistler) and four unincorporated, rural electoral areas (A, B, C, and D). Headquartered in Pemberton, which is the approximate geographic centre of the region, the SLRD delivers a wide range of local, regional and sub-regional services to approximately 50,496 residents (2021 Census as certified by the Minister of Municipal Affairs).

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is found within the traditional territories of several First Nations, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), St'át'imc and Líl̓wat. Small parts of the SLRD also overlap with the traditional territories of the Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, Nlaka'pamux, Tsilhqot'in, and Secwepemc Nations. While the SLRD does not provide direct services to the residents of the First Nations communities located within the region, the organization is committed to enhancing relations with the Indigenous communities and First Nations within whose territories the SLRD operates.