Victoria needs more housing for people at different stages of life and at different income levels.

We need rental homes, attainable ownership opportunities, family-sized units, seniors housing, supportive housing and thoughtfully designed middle-sized housing such as duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and smaller apartment buildings.

Suitable housing projects should move through City Hall much faster. Clear rules and predictable approval processes can reduce unnecessary delays and costs while helping residents and builders understand what will be permitted.

But approving more housing units is only part of the job.

As neighbourhoods grow, the City must ensure that the infrastructure and services supporting them can keep pace. That includes water and sewer capacity, stormwater systems, sidewalks, parks, trees, community facilities, emergency access, waste collection and transportation.

Growth without coordinated infrastructure planning can place pressure on existing residents and leave new residents without the services they need.

Before approving substantial new density, Council should understand:

• Whether water, sewer and stormwater systems have sufficient capacity
• What road, sidewalk and intersection improvements may be required
• Whether parks and community facilities can support additional residents
• How emergency vehicles, deliveries and waste collection will function
• Whether the project provides appropriate accessibility and landscaping
• How the development fits its location and neighbourhood context

Not every form of housing belongs on every property. Good decisions should consider building form, infrastructure, accessibility, environmental conditions and the surrounding community.

This is not an argument against growth. It is an argument for managing growth competently.

Housing targets are important, but completed homes, not announcements or approvals, are what ultimately matter. The City should track how many approved projects begin construction, how long they take to reach occupancy and whether infrastructure improvements are delivered when promised.

My goal is housing faster without lowering standards.

Victoria can approve appropriate housing more efficiently while coordinating the public infrastructure that makes a neighbourhood safe, functional and enjoyable.

Growth should improve daily life. It should make our neighbourhoods better, not simply bigger.