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Entries from January 2016

Frustrated mayors make plans to roll back planned property-tax increase of next two years, which will remove $30 million a year from the system

February 28th, 2013 · 37 Comments

And it’s pretty clear they’re totally fed up with the provincial government, which, they point out, took all the power away from the mayors five years ago and now is telling them that they — with no budget and no mandate to do so — should develop a regional vision for transportation and sell it […]

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Condo creep comes right to the doorstep of Vancouver city hall with building by White Spot family empire

February 27th, 2013 · 76 Comments

The urban design panel review of this building, second time, happens today. Wondering what the result will be. I can’t be there so I hope someone will post. In the meantime, my story on same.

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New rental housing near Beach Towers okayed by Vision councillors, who say it gives more people a chance to live in the gorgeous West End

February 26th, 2013 · 16 Comments

I wasn’t at the debate, though did hear some of the highlights, particularly Vision councillors and Mayor Gregor Robertson making the case that 1. This was a key election issue and people who opposed growth, density, more rental housing, all lost. 2. This gives more people an opportunity to live in the West End, instead […]

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Vancouver’s downtown office-tower boom: It couldn’t go on forever, so half of current projects will likely wait a few years

February 25th, 2013 · 3 Comments

It’s been a point of pride for Vancouver boosters to talk about the way the office builders want to be downtown. And, it’s true, they do. But Vancouver is a limited market and so, the million or so square feet currently under construction is likely going to soak up whatever moving around people want to […]

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City Plumber: Any chance the city would use some of the fees collected from developers on Cambie for a new Canada Line station?

February 24th, 2013 · 4 Comments

Answer over to the left, folks. And, for those of you who love City Plumber, sorry for the long hiatus. As some of you may have heard, I’ve had one new little job to my portfolio (chair, Langara Journalism department) and I was a bit swamped at the beginning of the year learning the difference […]

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Vancouver realtor says one-quarter of all sales in the city are to foreign buyers: NY Times

February 24th, 2013 · 16 Comments

Always so interesting to see what people say to publications far away, compared to what they say to locals. WHO BUYS IN VANCOUVER As many as a quarter of the buyers in the Vancouver area are foreigners, Mr. Fitzpatrick said. The majority come from Asia, especially mainland China, but the United States is also well […]

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Community-centre negotiations grinding on slowly but surely, while objectors stay out of the game

February 23rd, 2013 · 49 Comments

Just to update everyone on the news that dominated the lists a couple of weeks ago and has since disappeared. Below, an update from the park board general manager to the commissioners. I should add that I’ve heard as well that the park board’s ridiculous three-week deadline for negotiations has been dropped. Those following the […]

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SFU to put on series of talks about gentrification

February 23rd, 2013 · 1 Comment

Somehow, I don’t know, it seems like just the right moment for this. First talk is March 7 Poster – Gentrification and the City, Spring 2013

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Private hotels in Downtown Eastside becoming increasingly unaffordable for those on welfare, says report

February 20th, 2013 · 55 Comments

FYI, the latest Carnegie Centre Action Project report, since it’s unlikely to be published verbatim elsewhere. I am assuming this report only looks at private hotels, not at the hotels that have been acquired by the province in recent years and are now rented at welfare rates. While the city brags about its housing accomplishments, […]

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It’s not clothing or nudity at Wreck Beach that’s the debate, but swimmers versus boaters that the park staff are having to balance

February 20th, 2013 · 12 Comments

A change of topic that we all need: story here.

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