If you think the current Chinatown debates are heated, wait until things really get going with Northeast False Creek. The city is going to present the proposed ideas so far in a big fair/demo on June 10, with material from all of the many participants involved (park board, stewardship community work on the Hogan’s Alley […]
The last big downtown waterfront area about to be developed — and it will be the most complicated of all
June 2nd, 2017 · 3 Comments
Tags: Uncategorized
The Airbnb civil war: politicians look at limits, while hosts point to the benefits
April 6th, 2016 · 29 Comments
Vancouver is gearing up this week to deal with Airbnb, with Councillor Geoff Meggs spearheading a motion to have staff get more aggressive about getting information from the company and about getting information on the impacts. It’s a popular move for many. Landlords, strata councils, neighbours, housing advocates and more are all worried about the […]
Tags: Uncategorized
City pushes to collect new info on Airbnb with view to new rules
April 1st, 2016 · 36 Comments
So interesting to see how the ground is shifting on this issue of Airbnb. When I first wrote about the phenomenon in Vancouver four years ago (inspired by rumblings of dissatisfaction I’d been hearing in other cities), there didn’t seem to be a lot of concern. The bed-and-breakfast people weren’t so happy, but the hotel […]
Tags: Uncategorized
NPA, LaPointe apologize to Vision mayor, councillor over statements during election
September 21st, 2015 · 10 Comments
We could see this one coming after the last Supreme Court judgment. VANCOUVER, Sept. 21, 2015 /CNW/ – During the 2014 civic election campaign the NPA, through its election materials, and mayoralty candidate Kirk LaPointe, made allegations of impropriety on the part of Mayor Gregor Robertson and Councillor Geoff Meggs in seeking a campaign contribution […]
Tags: Uncategorized
Judge: It’s completely acceptable for politicians to promise to do things in exchange for campaign donations or votes
April 21st, 2015 · 42 Comments
On the off chance that this savvy crowd missed this on Friday: Supreme Court Justice Elliott Myers dismissed the petition from Randy Helten and others to have the mayor and councillor Geoff Meggs removed from office for conflict of interest or accepting gifts (those were the two provisions of the Vancouver Charter the case relied […]
Tags: Uncategorized
Soliciting donations, promising stuff to donors – the Supreme Court asked to figure out if that’s conflict
April 2nd, 2015 · 6 Comments
I realize the keeners in class already know that the Supreme Court heard the case this week involving five Vancouver residents — including one of Vision Vancouver’s most persistent critics, Randy Helten — versus Mayor Gregor Robertson and Councillor Geoff Meggs. The residents are trying to get them thrown out of office for having, they […]
Tags: Uncategorized
Vancouver NPA and Green Party will support transit plebiscite
January 12th, 2015 · 143 Comments
Much hay was being made a week or so ago about the fact that NDP MLA Andrew Weaver wasn’t gung-ho supporting a Yes vote in the transit plebiscite. But the local Green Party rep, Adriane Carr, said she plans to support it in a motion coming to council next week from NPA Councillor George Affleck. […]
Tags: Uncategorized
BulaBlog guide on how to figure out who matches your values, how to vote strategically
November 14th, 2014 · 32 Comments
I’m hearing from more than one person that this election is very confusing for them, especially those who are young and/or who are not regular political junkies. They aren’t sure what the parties really stand for, whether some candidates are better than others, and whether they should vote strategically — or even how to do […]
Tags: 2014 Vancouver Civic Election · Uncategorized
Vancouver tests out what many hope will be a non-profit model for building low-cost housing
May 10th, 2013 · 7 Comments
After being stung by four years of criticism about its giveaways to developers to create rental, Vision Vancouver politicians (oops, of course, I should say, “staff”) have decided to test a new model for building rental apartments. The city will give four pieces of land to a consortium of non-profit housing groups and the B.C. […]
Tags: Uncategorized
Vancouver mayor gets on board a campaign to push for Broadway subway line, with public meeting (rally?) scheduled for Sunday
March 9th, 2013 · 52 Comments
Suddenly, the Broadway line is front and centre. After several years of not saying too much, Vancouver has really built up a head of steam the last couple of months (sorry for that bad pun and more to come) championing a Broadway subway line. Here’s my story from last week with the mayor and the […]
Tags: Uncategorized