Three decades ago, Alex Henry remembers when he could rent a large house near Gibsons for $350.

Now, still working part-time in the construction industry, he says he can no longer afford to find a place to rent.

"I just converted somebody's garage into a so-called studio. It's probably an illegal rental, and she's still gonna rent it out for like $1,200," he said.

"It's really impossible. I'm a poor tradesman. I'm a working man. But I've been five years in and out of accommodation."

Like all of southwest B.C., booming home prices have caused political tension in Gibsons, a community of 4,600 that's a 40-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver.

But the cause of the problem — and reaction to possible solutions — is slightly different.

Plenty of waterfront properties in Gibsons are either for sale or open to development. (Martin Diotte/CBC)

Little land

Gibsons Mayor Bill Beamish says his municipality faces a unique set of challenges.

Its size (just four square kilometres) and small population base mean they have limited money and land available, while its proximity to Vancouver and idyllic seaside location have made it more appealing to people priced out of Metro Vancouver or looking for a change in lifestyle.

"The technology is here now for people to have offices in their home, and maybe go and commute two or three days a week to Vancouver," he said.

"Our average price is still lower than the Lower Mainland, but we're expensive for local people trying to get into the market."

And like everywhere else in the region, the number of purpose-built affordable housing units built in the last four decades has been minimal.

"For a long time, there's been no investment in any kind of purpose-built rental on the Sunshine Coast," said Matt Thomson, founder of the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society.

"Developers haven't been doing it, non-profits haven't been able to do it. So, there's been been a major gap and that gap is then aggravated by rising house prices."

A vacant lot near the centre of Gibsons is being considered for affordable rental units that would be managed by a local non-profit. (Martin Diotte/CBC)

Action taken

Still, council has begun to take action, in a series of partnerships with non-profits and higher levels of government.

Earlier this month, the federal government transferred ownership of an old RCMP building to the municipality, which is working with non-profits and BC Housing to build 40 units of transitional housing.

And surveying has begun on a vacant site that could see 40 units of rental housing managed by the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society.

"It's the first big project for the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society and shows that this fairly new society is is actually able to take on developments," said Thomson.

Gibsons Mayor Bill Beamish says his municipality has become more creative in recent years in finding solutions to the housing affordability challenge. (Martin Diotte/CBC)

No speculation tax

At the same time, the Sunshine Coast has seen the benchmark price of a home increase by 3.4 per cent the last year — one of only two places overseen by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver that has seen prices rise.

But Beamish isn't sure the two are connected.

"Even though we are high priced here on the Sunshine Coast, we're not as high priced as Squamish or Vancouver. .. I'd like to see the studies on the impact of the tax."

Even local NDP MLA Nicholas Simons, who told the Coast Reporter last year he wanted his region to have the foreign buyers tax, now equivocates.

"You know, it's not really up to me to make decisions around that kind of thing," he said.

Whatever the cause may be, the only guarantee is that Gibsons, like many other small municipalities, will have to continue to evolve on how it views its role in providing housing.

"It's not always been the municipalities responsibility," said Beamish.

"We recognize that people want to come here and will continue to come here. But we don't want people left behind."

Metro Matters: On The Road is exploring how new city governments throughout B.C. are approaching age-old issues (some political, some not) in their communities.