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…
Category: NPA
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…
Out the door for Vision — and good riddance
At long last, Vision Vancouver is about to be swept out the door by the electorate, as it rightfully should be.
View cone demolition – another nail in the coffin of affordable housing
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 PavCo is proposing in total for the site, has created a lot of concern given…
Gregor Robertson: 10 years of disappointments
A week ago, Mayor Gregor Robertson announced that he would not be seeking re-election this fall. So now is the time to reflect on what his 10 years in office have meant. I’ll tell you up front that I do not look back with any degree of fondness at Gregor Robertson’s time as mayor of…