A permit delay rarely makes a campaign poster. It can, however, hold up the homes, infrastructure and community facilities candidates promise to deliver.
With municipal and provincial election campaigns running at the same time, the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) is calling on Lower Mainland municipalities to establish Construction Advisory Committees: a regular forum where municipal staff and construction industry representatives can identify bottlenecks, improve processes and track whether projects are moving faster.
“Everyone wants to be photographed with a shovel. The harder work happens long before the shovel comes out,” said VRCA President Jeannine Martin. “Builders can tell municipalities where a process breaks down, where requirements are unclear, and where a small change could save weeks. We need a standing place to have that conversation and act on it.”
Municipalities have a direct hand in the time it takes to build. They manage permits and inspections, set local requirements, and coordinate the approvals that allow projects to move forward. When timelines are unclear or departments give conflicting direction, projects stall and costs rise.
VRCA wants Construction Advisory Committees to bring the people who deliver projects together with the people who approve them. The committees would focus on practical improvements, including clearer permit requirements, predictable review timelines, better coordination between departments, and measurable progress on recurring delays.
“This is a straightforward ask for every municipal candidate: Will you engage with the people and businesses that build your communities, giving us a direct venue to collaborate with you while decisions are being made?” said VRCA Chair Scott Adkins. “A Construction Advisory Committee would give municipalities and builders a regular forum to identify obstacles and propose solutions that will move your projects forward.”
Time to Build is one of three pillars of VRCA’s Build Lower Mainland campaign, alongside Cost to Build and People to Build. The campaign is non-partisan and does not endorse candidates or parties. VRCA is asking candidates to bring forward credible plans for getting projects built.
Learn more at BuildLowerMainland.ca