by Sean Orr | The data we’ve really been waiting for: Douglas Todd: How much does the real estate industry influence B.C. politicians? Spoiler: a lot.
Roughly $12 million of the Liberals’ corporate donations came from the real estate industry, more than double the rate of contributions from the next biggest donor sectors, mining and forestry.
This fills me with despair. Which, apparently, is a good thing.
Then we have Bob Rennie, a real estate marketer and Chair of BC Housing, who basically suggests that urban sprawl is a solution to the crisis. Vancouver should butt out of housing affordability question: Bob Rennie. I’m surprised he stopped short and didn’t blame Vancouver’s affordable housing for creating the affordable housing crisis.
Can’t afford a house in Coquitlam either? Just ask your parents! I mean, that’s what I did, but I didn’t think it would ever be seriously touted as a solution to the housing crisis. “With $197 billion in mortgage-free properties held by people over 55 ($66 billion of that with people over 75), there’s a lot of money available to help their children buy homes.” Everything is going to be alright! Except, you know, if you don’t have parents or have barriers to owning regular housing and need the support systems that only exist in Vancouver.
But wait! Here comes Gregor! He’s seen the light! He read some reports! He saw a cool infographic! He talked to a bank! Gregor Robertson warns Vancouver’s economy at risk due to housing prices. No shit.
Favourite response: “I love that the media are calling this a ‘warning’. Maybe Gregor could also warn us of the Great Fire of Vancouver in 1886” – Lindsay Brown.
If transportation improves affordability, why are we building a luxury SUV of a subway to UBC when we can build a couple hundred smart cars?
B.C. has a ‘moral obligation’ to develop LNG industry, says government advocate. Yup. Someone actually just said that. Regulate foreign ownership? No, the market will figure it out. The market doesn’t want LNG? But it’s a moral obligation!
Fentanyl overdose calls plague fire crews in record-busy May. Where is the moral obligation to end this crisis?
Crazy person of the day: VIDEO: Jason Kenney claims Canadian schools “hard-wire” youths with anti-conservative beliefs. Well…yeah, educating people tends to do that. I mean, just look at Trump’s supporters…
To wit: Arabic writing on police cruisers in London, Ont. angers Americans. “The writer also questioned why ‘police’ is not spelled out in French, even though both French and English spell the word exactly the same”. Just amazing.
Hero of the day: Cancer patient fed up with high parking fees at Health Sciences Centre. “Collin Kennedy filled city meter with spray foam in protest of high fees for sick people”. Yeah he did.
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Did you mean “streetcars” instead of smart cars?
No because they also arent actually building an SUV to UBC it is a comparison
That 2008 Condon article again – right. Street cars (aka the trolley bus system Vancouver already has) will save the City – and for a fraction of the cost! (written with great earnestness)
I don’t see how Condon’s plan addresses the need for increased transit capacity along Broadway to UBC. In fact, it pointedly ignores it. Yes, increasing transit options across the entire city is a laudable goal – but at some point you have to take actual demand into consideration, and nowhere in the city (region?) is the demand greater than along Broadway to UBC.