3829 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

I have never met a developer, that would rather sell 20 units at $125k profit, versus 100 units at $40k profit.

 

The theory that government can't lower taxes because the private market would just eat the savings as profit exists solely in the heads of bureaucrats, to justify high taxes.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

PP on the housing file, video on X:

 

https://x.com/ryange...748649741488292

 

 

 

[lanforod]

Trudeau is all about the 'we're going to do xxx for Canadians because thats what they need'. Never actually explains why or what they are going to actually do, rarely can justify things.

[Mike K.]

What do you mean? He outlined the process really well in the link above.

[lanforod]

PP does. Trudeau...

[Victoria Watcher]

The B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled that a law passed by the provincial government to stave off opposition to a supportive housing development in the Vancouver neighbourhood of Kitsilano is unconstitutional.

 

The provincial government had adopted the law at the request of the City of Vancouver in 2023 to push through a 12-storey housing development at Arbutus Street, featuring units open to low‑income residents and users of support services.

 

But the Arbutus development was opposed by the Kitsilano Coalition for Children & Family Safety Society, which took the city to court over its in-principle approval of a rezoning to allow the project to go ahead.

 

Monday's ruling says the provincial government "evidently became concerned" the litigation could delay the rezoning, so it passed the Municipal Enabling and Validating Act to facilitate the project.

 

The B.C. Supreme Court upheld the law in November last year, but the community group appealed, arguing the law crossed the line in bypassing the court's "supervisory role" enshrined by Constitution.

 

The three-judge appellate panel found the legislation "amounted to interference" with the court’s adjudicative role.

 

 

 

Peter Gall, the coalition's lawyers, said Monday that the ruling is a "very important rule-of-law decision."

 

"It affirms the constitutional principle that the legislature can't take away or usurp the right of citizens to challenge governmental action," Gall said. "That's what the legislature attempted to do here with the law it passed."

 

The ruling said the case wasn't about whether the housing crisis "requires action or whether the proposed development should proceed" — the "sole issue" was whether the province infringed upon the role of the court.

 

Gall said the coalition challenged the validity of the public hearing into the project, and did so by going to court. The provincial government "simply said that 'we deem the public hearing to be in compliance with the law,'" Gall said.

 

 

https://www.timescol...utional-9998912

[Mike K.]

PP does. Trudeau...

Ah, yes.

[Mike K.]

The province is terminating its loan program for the creation of below market affordable rentals in secondary suites. No uptake data was provided in the release below.

Due to uncertain financial times, and with the federal government committing to implement a similar program, the Province’s pilot secondary-suite incentive program will no longer be accepting applications after March 30, 2025.

Funds allocated from this program will go toward other existing and future BC Housing programs and services aimed at delivering more affordable homes for people, including BC Builds.

“As we face uncertain economic conditions and an unpredictable tariff situation with the United States, we’re making sure we deliver the best value for people,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “With the federal government committing to deliver a national secondary-suite program, we are ensuring that we are not duplicating programs so we can use those funds for other programs that give people more housing options.”

Announced in 2023, the three-year pilot program was designed to provide assistance in the form of a forgivable loan to eligible homeowners who build a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on their property.

In 2024, the federal government announced the intention to launch a similar program, the Canada secondary-suite loan program, enabling homeowners to access low-interest loans of up to $80,000 to add a secondary suite. Homeowners in B.C. who are interested in developing a secondary suite may have the opportunity to apply for loans through the federal program when it is launched. Applicants who have started the process with the provincial secondary-suite incentive program and who have received all necessary permits and cost estimates will be able to submit their application until March 30, 2025.

BC Housing will continue to work with approved applicants to process committed funds, register forgivable mortgages and carry out loan forgiveness over the coming years.

The Province is continuing to focus on creating affordable housing and initiatives that address the housing needs of British Columbians. Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes delivered or underway, with actions underway to help deliver thousands more.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

and with the federal government committing to implement a similar program

 

 

 

The federal government has not yet started its program.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 March 2025 - 11:46 AM.

[Matt R.]

Don’t worry, six million to Windset farms so they can sell more tomatoes to jimmy pattison.

Game, set, match.

[Victoria Watcher]

New housing units aimed at lower-income renters

The Lions in Esquimalt is one of five new affordable housing projects with a combined 534 units that are being rented or are close to completion announced by the province on Tuesday






Operated by the Greater Victoria Housing Authority, the Lions was built on the site of the former Esquimalt Lions Lodge at 837 Fleming St. and is aimed at low- to moderate-income individuals in need of affordable rental homes.

Rents start at $950 for a studio and rise based on monthly income. The authority’s website lists a one-bedroom for $1,677 a month, a two-bedroom for $1,900, a three-bedroom for $2,200 and a four-bedroom for $2,400, all dependent on monthly income thresholds.


[…]



The other projects include:

• Camas House: 66 on-reserve homes at 1504A Admirals Rd. for members of the Songhees Nation, operated by M’akola Housing Society.

• Crosstown: 154 homes (100 affordable and 54 supportive homes) at 584 Burnside Rd. E. in Victoria, operated by Victoria Cool Aid Society.

• The Ferns: Located at 496/498 Cecilia Rd. in Victoria, 88 homes will be operated by Pacifica Housing and 59 child care spaces will be managed by Burnside Gorge Community Association.



https://www.timescol...enters-10428956

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 March 2025 - 12:07 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

New government housing has disabled Saanich single mom facing eviction

‘The CRD is putting me and my kids out on the street’: Mother of 2 must find new home before July 1


https://www.vicnews....viction-7921924




I don’t know. Seems pretty fair to me. She was offered two other 3-bedroom properties.


Campus View was built in the 70’s. CRH sure burns through housing fast.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 April 2025 - 08:10 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Matt R.]

He’s certainly well qualified on the issues at hand. Jamie, pull that up.

https://youtu.be/-T5NMp0o-SU

[Victoria Watcher]

4.8M new homes need to be built over next 10 years to restore affordability, CMHC says

 

 

Amount represents double the current pace of home construction in Canada

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...homes-1.7565525

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.cmhc-sch...arts-march-2025

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 June 2025 - 12:44 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Why good family homes aren't getting built in Vancouver

 

 

 

 

Investors now own three out of every 10 dwellings in Canada. More than half the condos built in the Toronto and Vancouver regions in the past decade have been bought by people who already own a home. It’s a discouraging trend in Canada’s big cities, without equal in the West.

 

Most of these investor units have been sold, bought, and often flipped through pre-sale contracts. Families and others who need a place to live don’t pour their money into such things. Investors do, usually renting out the units.

 

 

https://vancouversun...lt-in-vancouver

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 June 2025 - 12:47 AM.

[Mike K.]

Victoria has 56 condos under construction.

Luckily, we solved the problem of investors buying condos, to then provide as rental housing. We only want large institutions that pensions invest in, to be able to provide rental housing at a profit, to then flip between themselves. Also, we want government to use tax dollars to build more housing, and to fund various so called non profits to do it, and now, even unions. Every branch of civil society is firmly behind the commodification of housing today, after rallying against the commodification of housing when it was an average person, who worked hard, who bought an investment condo, and turned it over to the rental market.

[Victoria Watcher]

Ya.