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Entries Tagged as 'Uncategorized'

Full text of Housing MInister Sean Fraser’s letter to Metro Vancouver

October 27th, 2023 · No Comments

Letter from Minister Fraser to Mayor Harvie (1) Mayor George Harvie Mayor of Delta Chair of the Board of Metro Vancouver via electronic mail [email protected] October 23, 2023 Dear Mr. Chair, We all know that we need to build more homes, and that we need to do so faster. At this particular moment in Canada, […]

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The Fabula guide on how to vote in the Vancouver civic election. Advance vote Oct. 13, voting day Oct. 15

October 13th, 2022 · No Comments

This is the ninth Vancouver civic election I’ve covered and, I think we can all agree, one of the most confusing ever for voters anxious to do their civic duty and make some informed choices. I have to say, I am finding it hard to know how to give recommendations. So I’m not going to. […]

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How are people figuring out their Vancouver council vote in this complicated 2022 election. I asked. Got lots of answers

October 4th, 2022 · No Comments

This is an election that is making people worker harder than ever at trying to figure out 1. Who aligns with their values 2. Who to vote for from the entire council slate in order to support what they value 3. What strategic voting is. I asked on Twitter how people were working through the […]

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An analysis of the recent BC Housing review ordered by the province

August 2nd, 2022 · No Comments

The province ordered a review of BC Housing last year to see whether how it was managing as the size and complexity of its mission had been expanded considerably under the NDP. That review came out and has been universally viewed as a sign that something is seriously wrong at the agency, which has a […]

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Why the difference in public reactions to upzoning for two big projects: Heather Lands and Jericho Lands

April 12th, 2022 · No Comments

Too long to do this as a screenshot, but here’s an interesting email someone (identifying as initials “PC”) sent me on this recent Twitter question. You mentioned the difference in reactions between the Jericho and Heather Lands, wondering why one project is facing an organised NIMBY revolt and the other is basically being ignored: https://twitter.com/fabulavancouver/status/1513925259681943558 […]

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Damaged Vancouver seawalls will be a massive repair job, prompt re-think of how to deal with shores as tides and sea levels rise

January 11th, 2022 · No Comments

My first story of the new year. I hope it’s not going to be a year of just one disaster after another. After a severe winter storm that crumbled portions of Stanley Park’s seawall and hurled logs and other debris across area beaches last week, the Vancouver Park Board says it has no idea how […]

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Civic campaign 2022: Ken Sim speech at ABC party dinner Oct. 13

October 29th, 2021 · No Comments

NOMINATION SPEECH KEN SIM FOR MAYOR 2022 A BETTER CITY VANCOUVER  Wednesday, October 13th, 2021  FLOATA SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 180 Keefer St, Chinatown Vancouver, BC V6A 1X4 I want to acknowledge that are on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples and I want to thank them for hosting us. Thank you Elder […]

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A portrait of Philip Owen from the early years

October 1st, 2021 · No Comments

Former mayor Philip Owen died today. Many, many memories of him. Here’s a very early profile I did of him at the Vancouver Sun in 1996. It’s close to midnight and, on the third floor at Vancouver city hall, the lighted windows are going dark, one by one. The man walking through the council offices […]

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As government money for social housing climbs, communities are in debates as they see proposals for new projects of a type they’ve never had before

May 31st, 2021 · No Comments

My story in the Globe is here and also in text below. I’m also appending below the police statistics I got on calls to addresses of all the supportive-housing projects built since 2010. FRANCES BULA VANCOUVER SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL INCLUDES CORRECTION PUBLISHED MAY 26, 2021UPDATED 3 DAYS AGO Open this photo in […]

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Many social-housing announcements and approvals in Vancouver, not so much getting built

May 28th, 2021 · No Comments

I got an email from someone back in January with a list of social-housing projects that had been announced going back a few years, asking what had happened. At first, I thought it might be a problem with BC Housing funding and rules. That probably plays a part, but the bigger issue turned out to […]

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