Frances Bula header image 4

Vancouver vs everyone else on regional policing

February 28th, 2009 · 9 Comments

I didn’t realize how strongly people felt about the question of One Big Police Force until I did some calling among mayors this week. The question of regional policing is not academic for these people, as they argue for and against, as you can read in my Globe story here.

[Read more →]

Tags: Uncategorized

Cities look at ways to stimulate (affordable) housing construction

February 6th, 2009 · 6 Comments

I have a story in today’s Globe about what cities are trying to do to keep business, especially development, going in their neighbourhoods. Surrey’s efforts are just kicking off so not a lot of details yet, but there’s a LOT of talk in Vancouver these days about what the Vision council could do to thaw [...]

[Read more →]

Tags: Developer World

Snow fights continue, hot air causes rapid melting

January 6th, 2009 · 29 Comments

The raging debates over the snow and city responses to it continue. I’m finding it fascinating how much of the attention is focused on Vancouver, where the whole issue has turned into a debate along political party lines. I guess the snow in Surrey, Coquitlam, North Van and so on is truly non-partisan. I heard [...]

[Read more →]

Tags: Uncategorized

A closer look at the reigning queen of Surrey, Dianne Watts

January 5th, 2009 · 5 Comments

I’ve profiled Mayor Dianne Watts before, but I did something more in-depth and personal for my column this month in Vancouver magazine here on the mayor who has charmed Surrey and many in the media.

[Read more →]

Tags: City Hall Talk

Three wishes for the next three years

December 30th, 2008 · 2 Comments

In my end-of-year, end-of-election-season post for my CTV blog, I look at the challenges all these new councils face and my fondest hopes for what they will and won’t do as they tackle those challenges. Also, links to a couple of previous posts here and here that you may have missed.

[Read more →]

Tags: Uncategorized