Category Archives: City Hall

View cone demolition – another nail in the coffin of affordable housing

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Tim Louis

Yesterday, Vision Vancouver approved the application for a tower adjacent to BC Place Stadium. The application is from BC Pavilion Corporation or PavCo, the provincial Crown corporation originally created to manage the Expo 86 site. The tower, one of three … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, British Columbia, City Hall, developers, gentrification, Heritage, homelessness, National Housing Strategy, NPA, Planning, Vancouver, Vancouver election, viaducts, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Affordable rents: There’s a way, just no will

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Tim Louis

Over the last number of years, Vision Vancouver has been offering developers significant incentives in the form of waiving development cost levies or DCLs in return for a commitment from the developer to provide purpose-built rental housing. (See my June … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, British Columbia, City Hall, developers, electoral reform, gentrification, Green Party, homelessness, influence peddling, National Housing Strategy, NDP, Planning, seniors, social justice, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hurried “chainsaw massacre” of our city’s zoning

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Tim Louis

I don’t normally read the Vancouver Sun — it’s much too conservative for me. However, I was recently made aware of a great guest editorial by Elizabeth Murphy, a respected urbanist and former member of Vancouver’s planning department. Her op … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, Broadway Corridor, City Hall, COPE, developers, gentrification, homelessness, National Housing Strategy, Planning, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Developers, their fair share — and real low-cost housing

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Tim Louis

Housing was all over the news this week, but three examples really speak to the usefulness of development cost levies in this regard — when they’re used for real affordable housing. I’ve long been critical of the City of Vancouver … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, City Hall, developers, equality, fiscal responsibility, gentrification, homelessness, influence peddling, National Housing Strategy, Planning, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A fighting chance with limits on big money in politics

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Tim Louis

Last week I blogged about the very positive, upbeat COPE nomination meeting I recently attended. This week let’s take a look at the bigger picture — the likely impact of new legislation that will govern campaign financing in this fall’s … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, British Columbia, City Hall, COPE, developers, Elections - British Columbia, electoral reform, equality, gentrification, NDP, People Power, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vancouver Park Board, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

COPE is definitely back!

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Tim Louis

If you support COPE and the kind of progressive policies it stands for, I’ve got good news for you. Last Sunday, I attended the COPE nomination meeting — the first COPE meeting I’ve attended in almost a year since I … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, City Hall, COPE, developers, events, homelessness, People Power, Vancouver, Vancouver election | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

COPE’s nomination meeting — a party comeback highlight

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Tim Louis

This coming Sunday, June 10, at 2 p.m. the Coalition of Progressive Electors will hold its nomination meeting. COPE has done a very impressive job of rebuilding over the past few months, and this nomination meeting looks like it will … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, City Hall, COPE, events, People Power, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vancouver Park Board | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ian Campbell: Why would you run for Vision?

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Tim Louis

If you’ve been following the amazing race for mayor in the City of Vancouver, you will be aware of the latest candidate to throw his hat in the ring — Ian Campbell, hereditary chief of the Squamish Nation and friend … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, City Hall, COPE, developers, First Nations, gentrification, homelessness, social justice, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Ian Campbell: Why would you run for Vision?

Harry’s message: more important than ever

Posted on May 12, 2018 by Tim Louis

May 8 would have been Harry Rankin’s 98th birthday. I was reminded of this special date when I attended the premiere of The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical at the Playhouse Theatre May 3 as part of the DOXA … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, City Hall, developers, events, gentrification, Harry Rankin, Vancouver, Vancouver election | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shauna Sylvester: A Trojan horse for Vision?

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Tim Louis

Does it really appear that Vision Vancouver will not be running a mayoral candidate in this fall’s municipal election? With Vision Vancouver’s deadline for individuals seeking the party’s mayoral nomination now passed — and nobody having declared an intent — … Continue reading →

Posted in affordable housing, City Hall, gentrification, Green Party, Vancouver, Vancouver election, Vision Vancouver | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Shauna Sylvester: A Trojan horse for Vision?