Housing

Kitimat is a great place to live, and compared to many other communities in B.C. enjoys a lower cost of living.

Our community of nearly 9,000 residents has a wide mix of housing options including single-detached housing, duplexes, townhomes and apartment buildings.

Housing is of primary interest both for existing residents and for prospective newcomers. We are active in both staying informed on the local housing market and in being forward-thinking for our community's housing needs.

Housing facts

Media single-family detached home price, January to August 2024:
$375,000

(+0.8% since 2023, +4.5% since 2022)

Source: August 2024 Housing Fact Sheet.

Home prices, single-detached

Median single-detached home prices have been gradually increasing in Kitimat over the past few years. In August 2022 the median home price was $359,000 and in August 2023 the median price was $372,000. As of August 2024,  the median single-detached home price is $375,000.  The average home price in Kitimat as of 2024 is 7% lower than the average home price within the northern region.

Housing Affordability Indicators (HAI) are calculated by the BC Northern Real Estate Board (BCNREB) using data on the annual average cost of houses sold, median income in each community, and average utility and tax costs in each community. It is a value that helps illustrate how much of your income you need to spend for housing in a community. It is a way to measure a community's affordability.

Kitimat’s value in the table above means that home ownership costs 22.8% of the median family pre-tax income annually. In Kitimat the median family income was about $111,500, so generally, $25,422 goes towards housing.

Housing needs

The District of Kitimat is following the province’s legislative requirements for reporting on community housing needs.

In December 2024, we released the District of Kitimat Interim Housing Needs Report, addressing the community's future needs for housing both near-term and long-term.

The estimated 5-year forecast for housing demand is for 627 units.

The estimated 20-year demand for housing is 1,307 units.

The report is technical and considers a number of factors set out by the province. The estimated housing needs consider new housing units based on forecasted growth, as well as other factors such as unmet existing demand, changing preferences, shifting demographics, and the need for replacement of some of the existing housing stock in the coming years.

You can read our Interim Housing Needs Report as well as other housing reports here: Reports and Plans.

Acting on housing

The District of Kitimat has an Affordable Housing Initiatives & Operational Fund, specifically designed to support the creation and operation of affordable housing in Kitimat.The Affordable Housing Initiatives & Operational Fund was established by Council in 2016 and at that time was known as the Affordable and/or Accessible Housing Fund. On November 20, 2023, the fund was amended by Council to add operational expenses as eligible in the fund.

The purpose of the AHIOF is to increase affordable housing opportunities in Kitimat including affordable ownership, rental and non-market housing units.

Learn more about this fund on our Applications, Licences, and Permits page.

Responding to zoning changes

In 2023, the Province of British Columbia introduced legislative changes for residential zoning in communities, known as Bill 44. Bill 44 requires communities of more than 5,000 - which includes Kitimat - to amend their zoning to permit a minimum of three units on lots that are smaller than 280 m2, and a minimum of four units on lots greater than that size, up to 4,050 m2.

The District is required to update the residential zoning sections of the Kitimat Municipal Code to comply with the new provincial legislation by December 31, 2030. Staff are working with a consultant on an infrastructure capacity study and other supporting studies that will help inform the creation of new zoning regulations to comply with Bill 44.