Comparing Squamish CACs to Other Communities

Many jurisdictions in the Sea to Sky, Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island use CAC policies to guide development negotiations. We surveyed 17 municipalities that have a CAC policy. It is a patchwork of somewhat unique approaches and rate targets. In terms of approaches, out of the 17 municipalities surveyed, only three local governments used a land lift approach where the CAC target is generated on a case by case basis by assessing the land value increase from existing zoning to proposed and then assigning a certain percentage of that increase as a CAC target. 

Seven local governments use a similar approach to Squamish by setting a rate or a variety of rates per square foot of development or dwelling unit. In some cases, the rates depend on the type of residential density, the level of density and sometimes location of the development. 

Seven out of the 17 local governments use a mixed approach to establishing CAC targets. In a mixed approach, smaller developments follow a set target rate per square foot of new development while larger developments or areas outside of development nodes are subject to a site-specific analysis to determine land lift value.

Table 1. CAC Target Calculation Approach                                                         

Figure 1. CAC flat fee rate ($) per square foot