I know this story is going to bring out the hate mail. As well, the timing is weird, coming as it does in the middle of a frenzy of “All our young people are leaving town! There’s nothing for sale under two million!” But I’ve been intrigued by this for a while, ever since the […]
Entries from January 2016
Who’s buying property in the Lower Mainland? Amazingly, people under 30
October 19th, 2014 · 12 Comments
Tags: Uncategorized
NPA starts to hit hard, saying Gregor Robertson hates the city’s resource economy, lies about homelessness
October 16th, 2014 · 20 Comments
Vancouver’s Non-Partisan Association ramped up its game this week, with mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe announcing his party’s positions on housing and the city economy. My Globe story here makes it pretty clear that the party will go into the election championing Vancouver as a home to LNG, mining, forestry, and so on. On housing, LaPointe […]
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Why can’t Vancouver solve its homelessness problem?
October 14th, 2014 · 17 Comments
I wrote a little essay on this and the computer ate it. So here is my story from the Globe on this topic, all by itself, although there are lots of other interesting aspects and side issues to this.
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First big campaign day: NPA talks about free parking on Sundays, Vision talks housing, free swim lessons
October 10th, 2014 · 70 Comments
Suddenly, the energy level has ramped up in the campaign and lots to do and cover the last two days. Things started off Wednesday with duelling newsers from Vision and the NPA, where Vision announced its “family-friendly” (you’d think in this province, they’d be wary of that phrase, but whatever) affordability platform, emphasizing their commitment […]
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Adding fuel to Surrey election fire, Surrey scores D in safety and getting around on first vital signs report
October 7th, 2014 · 2 Comments
All of a sudden, after nine years of relative calm, Surrey seems like a very unhappy place. The report issued today will add to that. SurreyCares, in partnership with the Surrey Board of Trade, released the results of Surrey’s first Vital Signs study this morning. The report investigated updated statistical data as well as public […]
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First Nations’ developments here, there and everywhere: What are the differences among them?
October 6th, 2014 · 4 Comments
Time for all of us to get up to speed here, as First Nations bands around the Lower Mainland and elsewhere are getting increasingly savvy about operating businesses, negotiating deals, and doing development on land they own or have a claim to. In the wake of the announcement last week about an agreement among the […]
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Vancouver launches new legal challenge to CP Rail, saying it has no rights to use Arbutus corridor for rail any more
October 5th, 2014 · 30 Comments
Hoo boy, the Holy War between Vancouver and CPR heated up again Friday when the city launched a lawsuit claiming CP has effectively given up its right to use the Arbutus corridor as a rail line. I’m attaching the city’s statement of claim below so all the legal scholars on the blog can weigh the […]
Tags: 2014 Vancouver Civic Election
All city controversies solved in one easy night of talking and drinking among savvy group
October 3rd, 2014 · 2 Comments
For those who wished they had been at the blog gathering, but couldn’t make it, here’s a recap from Kirk Thanks to those that made it out last night. For those that missed it, I heard two main topics: 1. The election and the candidates. 2. Vancouver’s future. Housing, investment condos, demographics, schools, you name […]
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Uh-oh, I installed Disqus. Hope it all works out
October 1st, 2014 · 13 Comments
I paid $500 of my own good money, which I’ll have to raise elsewhere, to install this system which several people said would improve the commenting system. We’ll see how it all goes. If really terrible, I’ll uninstall it. My blog-maintenance minions assure me that all previous comments will re-appear, as they are only partway […]
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