Governmental policies concerning residential condominium development in British Columbia

The provision of adequate housing for all its people remains a problematical objective for Canada. A new type of cooperative housing—condominium--has recently received specific legal sanction in most provinces and territories in Canada with the exception of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and the North-West Territories. This thesis considers this innovative housing concept in light of the population trends and housing needs of British Columbia and shows that condominium is merely one of a variety of alternative housing types but one that may prove increasingly effective in helping meet future housing demand. The historical evolution of the condominium concept is outlined after which the author carefully distinguishes between condominiums and other similar forms of housing. The author affirms that Federal and Provincial housing policies do not discriminate against residential condominiums and further hypothesizes that Municipal housing policies and bureaucratic procedures do not frustrate their development, in contrast with the findings of a similar study concerning a similar form of housing—continuing cooperatives, which found that a lack of specific Provincial and Municipal policy had retarded their formation. Governmental policy is reviewed in general and its specific application to residential condominium development is assessed with the conclusion generally confirming the author's original affirmation and hypothesis.Applied Science, Faculty ofCommunity and Regional Planning (SCARP), School ofGraduat