Source: Journal of Housing Studies

Date Published: 08.27.2025

Link: Upzoning and Redevelopment: The Details Matter

Looking at two cities in British Columbia, this research “highlights the limits of relaxing density and use restrictions alone to achieve new [housing] supply,” as a response to the affordable housing crisis. In the late 2010s, both the municipalities of Coquitlam and Kelowna implemented upzoning, allowing single-family and duplex homes to be converted into up to four units per lot. Using property roll, permitting, and parcel data, the authors analyzed the probability of redevelopment through the use of regression models. They concluded that  Kelowna experienced a 7-14% rise in lot prices, while Coquitlam experienced no change. The study attributes the greater probability of development in Kelowna to a combination of intersecting factors that enabled redevelopment, rather than viewing increased density as the sole redevelopment strategy. Compared to Coquitlam, Kelowna benefits from a more expedited permitting process, greater certainty with as-of-right development approvals, and less restrictive parking requirements — all of which converged to create a stronger redevelopment market.