Here’s my Globe story on the efforts of Vancouver councillors and, I should say, SFU prof Kennedy Stewart, to get a motion passed at the Union of B.C. Municipalities supporting limits on campaign fundraising and spending. That’s what Premier Gordon Campbell said is needed before his government will think about setting any new rules. The [...]

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Oh, what the heck, while I’m at it … here’s another fun very-Vancouver thing to do on Sunday, before going to the view-corridor debate on Monday. See notice below. The only thing this tour is missing by the way is a swing by the new public art at the 25th Avenue Canada Line station. Has [...]

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I don’t promote every debate on urban issues in this city, but this one seems like a can’t-miss to me. It’s also so delightfully Vancouver. Can you imagine another city where people would turn out to listen to an argument about preserving views? Views on Views: Perspectives on view corridors in Vancouver In partnership with [...]

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Apparently, I’m allowed to publicize this as of 1:01, so here goes. This the latest from city hall: Vancouver: “Green Capital.”  Get the double meaning? I hope so. I await your scathing comments on how this is just another EcoDensity campaign … or not. Mayor outlines ‘Vancouver Green Capital’ economic strategy for Vancouver VANCOUVER—At an [...]

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Mayors and councillors packed a session at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention yesterday to hear more about the growing problem of local industries telling small resource towns that they’re not going to pay their tax bills or that they need to have their taxes lowered. (My story in the Globe here.) It’s obviously a [...]

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While debates rage about Vancouver’s budget shortfall elsewhere, we pause for a station break here to look at something completely different. Here’s a story I wrote for the Globe’s business section on how different municipalities handled planning for development along the Canada Line and how. In Vancouver, as I mention in the story and as [...]

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The city’s big review of how to make operations more efficient has come in, accompanied by the news that Vancouver is facing a possible $60-million shortfall for next year. Groups have been getting brief all day at council about this. Here’s my Globe story and I’ll post a bit more later on, plus I’d love [...]

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The news should start trickling out soon tomorrow morning about exactly what the news is when it comes to the city’s much anticipated/dreaded shared-services review. It’s being presented internally over the next two days, though I can’t imagine the news will stay internal for long. As I’ve reported previously, the city is looking at having [...]

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I just got off the phone with recently dismissed Vancouver Board of Variance member Ray Tomlin to try to understand the events leading up to this week, when city manager Penny Ballem essentially fired him (following a council vote to do so, after getting a request from board chair Tony Tang to look at the [...]

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I’m posting here three documents from former Board of Variance member (as of extremely recently) Ray Tomlin about his removal from said board. I haven’t had a chance to call anyone on this yet, but the documents include a memo and letter from city manager Penny Ballem stating her case, so I’ll count on you, [...]

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