VANPLEX

Housing Needs Reports

Evidence for the report you have to file

BC's Housing Needs Report rules ask for more than a population number. Two of the required sections — housing near transit, and actions taken to reduce housing need — line up almost exactly with what we already track for your city.

What maps to what

Housing near transit

BC requires a statement on housing close to transit. We carry transit distance and transit-oriented-area tiers on every lot, so you can show where multiplex capacity and permits sit relative to frequent service.

Actions taken to reduce housing need

You have to describe what you have done since the last report. Permit-uptake trends after your SSMUH rezoning are concrete evidence of action and result — not just intent.

Anticipated supply / pipeline

The multiplex permit pipeline — applications and issuances by type — is a direct, current read on near-term gentle-density supply to set against your projected need.

Where need can realistically be met

Feasibility tells you which zoned capacity is actually buildable. A needs report built on viable capacity is far stronger than one built on theoretical zoning alone.

Why this saves you time

  • ✓The evidence is collected continuously, not assembled in a panic the month the report is due.
  • ✓Permit trends are a concrete "action and result" story for the section that asks what you have done.
  • ✓Feasibility turns theoretical zoned capacity into realistically buildable capacity.
Partner cities only

Get your HNR data package

We assemble the permit-pipeline, transit-proximity, and feasibility figures your Housing Needs Report sections depend on, documented and ready to drop in.

  • Housing-near-transit figures for your lots
  • Permit-uptake trend as evidence of action
  • Buildable (not just zoned) capacity estimates
  • Documented sources and method for a public document
Request access for your city

Housing Needs Report — Official Requirements

Province of BC: Housing Needs Reports
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/policy-and-planning-tools-for-housing/housing-needs-reports
Guide to Requirements for Housing Needs Reports (PDF)
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/tools-for-government/uploads/summary_of_legislative_and_regulatory_requirements_for_housing_needs_reports.pdf
HNR Method — Technical Guidelines (PDF)
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/tools-for-government/uploads/hnr_method_technical_guidelines.pdf

Frequently asked questions

Does VanPlex write our Housing Needs Report?+
No. We provide the permit-pipeline, transit-proximity, and feasibility data that several required sections depend on, in a form your team or your consultant can drop straight in. You keep authorship and the HNR Method calculation.
How does this fit the BC reporting timeline?+
Interim reports were due in early 2025, with official community plan and zoning updates following, and the next full Housing Needs Reports due by the end of 2028 and every five years after. Ongoing monitoring means you are not scrambling to assemble evidence the month the report is due.
Is the data defensible for a public document?+
Yes. Permit data is grounded in municipal records, transit proximity in mapped distances, and feasibility in a transparent proforma. We document sources and method so the figures hold up in a council or public setting.

Want this for your municipality?

We already track multiplex permit uptake and lot-by-lot feasibility across BC. Tell us your city and we'll show you what your data says — and how a monitoring partnership works.

Talk to us about your city