West Vancouver mayor refuses to back down in standoff over provincial housing targets

West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager says he’s standing firm against what he calls the B.C. government’s “arbitrary” housing targets and timelines, setting the stage for a possible provincial takeover of zoning powers in his city.

“Picking arbitrary dates, arbitrary numbers, and trying to force their vision on local communities is fundamentally wrong,” Sager said.

West Vancouver is one of 10 municipalities flagged by the province last year for failing to meet its housing growth expectations. According to the Ministry of Housing, only 172 homes were built between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2025 — less than 40 per cent of the required goal.

If the district fails to pass new zoning bylaws by Dec. 31, the province has authority under Bill 44 to override council and rezone lands directly to meet housing density requirements.

Sager argues the housing targets should be based on approvals rather than completions, saying construction timelines are beyond municipal control.

“For the minister sitting in Victoria who doesn’t know about our infrastructure or road systems to come in and slap down regulations that don’t work — I’m not going to sign that,” he said.

Province says deadline is fair

B.C. Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle said the Dec. 31 deadline is not arbitrary, emphasizing that her ministry has worked closely with West Vancouver staff.

“There’s been lots of time. None of this is a surprise,” Boyle said, adding she remains “stubbornly hopeful” the district will comply.

While she said overriding local bylaws would be a last resort, she added that the government will not hesitate to act if West Vancouver fails to allow more affordable housing.

Council divided over Ambleside plan

The most contentious issue is the Ambleside local area plan, which aims to add mixed-use and multi-storey buildings — up to four storeys tall — along Marine Drive.

Council has been deadlocked 3–3 for months, with Sager recusing himself from the vote because he owns property in the area.

Coun. Nora Gambioli, who supports the plan, says West Vancouver has fallen behind on both provincial and local housing goals.

“We’re not in a fight directly with the provincial government. We’re actually in a fight between ourselves in terms of the politics here,” Gambioli said.

Maureen O’Brien, executive director of the Ambleside and Dundarave BIA, says more density would revitalize the business district and attract small retailers and restaurants.

“No one’s going to come and do that if we don’t give them the space to do that,” she said, noting Ambleside has undergone 33 studies in 79 years without major change.

But Coun. Peter Lambur has opposed the plan, warning that it could alter the “charm and intimacy” of the village and raise rents for local shops.

“People shouldn’t be ashamed of the word NIMBY,” he said. “It’s not selfishness — it’s about protecting the community’s character.”

Mayor vows to hold firm

Sager says he won’t be intimidated by provincial pressure and believes other Metro Vancouver mayors share his concerns about losing local control.

“If I was standing alone, I’d be concerned,” he said. “But you will see that almost all of the other Metro Vancouver mayors are standing firmly with us.”

If the standoff continues, West Vancouver could become a test case for how far the province is willing to go to enforce its housing agenda — and how much resistance local governments are willing to mount in return.