Housing has always been a focus area of discussion and policy action in the Town of Smithers. Since 2019, provincial rules require local governments to create reports about housing needs. These reports gather information to show what kind of housing is needed now and in the future. Housing Need Reports must also be updated every five years.
The Town’s First Housing Need Report (HNR) in compliance with the provincial legislation was completed in 2020. As part of complying with the new housing-related requirements established by the Small-Scale and Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) legislation in late 2023, the Town initiated the OCP-Zoning-Housing Needs Update project in early 2024. Following the adoption of the OCP-Zoning Bylaw amendments as necessary to align with the minimum residential density requirements established by the Province, the Town initiated the HNR Update process in June 2024.
At its November 26, 2024, Regular meeting, Council received and approved the Town of Smithers Housing Needs Report (2024). The updated Housing Needs Report was prepared in accordance with the provincial HNR Template and methodology, meeting all the legislated requirements. The HNR also includes a Housing Need Analysis document, which provides a deeper explanation and analysis of the various housing data, indicators, methodology, and community inputs that were gathered/relied upon for developing the main HNR document.
Past Housing Needs Reports:
Rental Housing Incentive Program:
This Town of Smithers program provides incentives to individuals and organizations to create long term rental housing. The goal of this program is to encourage the development of rental housing (market, non-market, and secondary rental), with a focus on housing for low and low to moderate-income households.
Dollars to the Door Program
The Northern Development Initiative Trust’s Dollars to the Doors Program (NDIT) is designed to encourage the development of new market-based multi-family housing units in communities and thereby to create additional business and local employment opportunities.
The program benefits new multi-family residential developments in Smithers – both rental and for sale – providing up to $10,000 per newly created dwelling unit, to a maximum contribution of $200,000 to a project/community, at a given time.
- Multi-Family Housing Incentive Program Policy establishes program requirements and processing procedures.
- Dollars to the Door Program Application
- Dollars to the Doors Program Guide
- NDIT Official Website
Interested applicants are advised to contact the Planner, Deepa Chandran, at dchandran@smithers.ca or 250-847-1600.