Happy New Year, everyone! May your New Year’s resolutions be successful. In keeping with the season, here are a few of my wishes for 2019. Progress on the basic income front Last summer, the provincial government appointed a three-person panel of experts to look at the viability of guaranteed basic income in BC. CBC Radio…
Category: City Hall
2018: A year of ups and downs for social justice
This is my last blog of 2018, so now is a good time to reflect on some of the highlights centering on social justice that were significant to me this year. To start, I was so heartened to witness the comeback of COPE, a party very important to me and one I’ve been heavily involved…
Unanimous vote on Vancouver tenants’ rights is a game changer
On Tuesday, December 4, COPE Councillor Jean Swanson tenants’ protection motion finally came before city council for a vote. In the week leading up to the vote, more than 300 tenants spoke eloquently to council about the need for protection when landlords decide to renovict them. See my last blog (Secure tenants make for a…
Secure renters make for a better Vancouver
COPE Councillor Jean Swanson’s motion [PDF] to give tenants protection from landlords during renovations was referred to committee at city hall November 27 so that members of the public would have an opportunity to speak to it. The motion proposes immediate changes to the city’s Relocation and Protection Policy. There are a number of changes,…
Vancouver City Council too timid on rescinding duplexes
On Thursday the 15th of November, council voted on a motion put forward by the NPA’s Colleen Hardwick to rescind the previous council’s motion passed in September to blanket rezone all single-family lots in Vancouver for duplexes. It’s rare that I agree with motions put forward by the NPA; this is one of those rare…
My tips for new city councillors
Of Vancouver’s 11-member city council —10 councillors and the mayor — only two have any previous experience on city council. The remaining nine are all brand new to their roles. So I have a few tips I’d like to offer them from my six years of experience as a city councillor. 1. Reply to all…
COPE’s Jean Swanson is off to a great start
Vancouver’s new city council was sworn into office Monday, November 5 at an invitation-only ceremony held before their first council meeting. But COPE’s lone city councillor, Jean Swanson, had already been hard at work. She served notice of motion a number of days prior to the first meeting on her proposed motion regarding renovictions. Let…