11779 replies to this topic

[Stephen James]

Compare that to a similarly sized metro like Halifax where there are only 4% more people in their 50s/60s (111,850) than those in their 30s/40s (107,565) - 20.55% of the population are youth.

 

Halifax had four universities when I lived there.

to me, a more appropriate comparison would be Halifax with similar cities in NB or very nearby.

[Stephen James]

Would've loved to see people like you be able to stay as opposed to the junkies we roll out the mat for.

Sure but its nobody's fault I had to go, just circumstances.  One thing I seem to have learned (accepted, more importantly) after all these years is... life isn't fair.  Big deal.  

[Stephen James]

True but the remote employee probably isn't coming to Victoria. Lots of other beautiful places on the Island and mainland that are much more affordable. In fact I am hearing from real estate pros that young people are starting to move out of Victoria downtown and back to the burbs / up island reversing the trend that started a while back.

I'm interested in this question and yes it could be a big demographic shift!

 

I worked 60-80 hours/week including a 20-45 min commute in the GTA.  If the research is correct, we're confirming:

1) people are more productive working from home

2) they miss their coworkers

3) the consensus is 2-3 days a week at the office is the right number.

 

Hell, I would have lived 2-3 hours away from Toronto, maybe on the shores of Lake Erie, where I could buy peace and quiet (you can hear the QEW from every house in Oakville) and a much more beautiful place to live. I'd work a 12 hour day on office days and probably sleep in a dirt cheap hotel for one night a week.

 

So... where will people go and what will that do to cities?  If the moves start happening I predict we'll be amalgamated within a few years and I wonder if y'all are considering why.  Where does Victoria get the money to pay for their extended-playdate, dogmatic pet projects?  How do we afford 2 poets, a communications department that would embarrass a city twice the size, a massively growing liability for the expenses of managing this incredible purchase of public housing, and so on and so on?  We get this money by taxing the small business owners a multiple of the homeowners, by taxing the homeowners and by user fees.  So downtowns will shrink, businesses will be fewer and it's much, much harder to raise property taxes on individuals because they vote.  

 

Helps and her immature crew of hopeless academics are staring into the abyss...

[GetLisaSomeHelps]

Sure but its nobody's fault I had to go, just circumstances. One thing I seem to have learned (accepted, more importantly) after all these years is... life isn't fair. Big deal.

True. Forgive me for being a donkey earlier.

[On the Level]

So downtowns will shrink, businesses will be fewer and it's much, much harder to raise property taxes on individuals because they vote.  

 

Homeless in free housing and low income citizens don't pay property taxes.  If you can force rent control onto properties, it can't get passed through to renters.  Renters and the homeless vote....those that own businesses or are landlords but don't live in the city do not vote.

 

It's a form of Gerrymandering.  They know exactly what they are doing.

[rmpeers]

Can't we all just get back to complaining about the mayor and council?

[Mike K.]

Right, and in the short term they can claim everything is going well as population volumes will grow.

More people = more support = more prosperity.

[Awaiting Juno]

Right, and in the short term they can claim everything is going well as population volumes will grow.

More people = more support = more prosperity.

 

I don't think I like their definition of prosperity.

[spanky123]

It's a form of Gerrymandering. They know exactly what they are doing.

No worse then setting up polling stations at UVIC and Our Place while making if difficult for older people (ie homeowners) to vote with long line-ups and delays

[mbjj]

Yes I remember when we voted last. It was quite a long wait and some people gave up and left.

[rjag]

I have, and there 16% more people in their 50s/60s (107,980) in the CRD than those in their 30s/40s (92,645) according to the 2016 Census -  18.12% of the population are youth.

 

Compare that to a similarly sized metro like Halifax where there are only 4% more people in their 50s/60s (111,850) than those in their 30s/40s (107,565) - 20.55% of the population are youth.

 

I think it's a fair assessment to say families have been leaving Victoria and it will only continue. This is a problem, unless you want a City full of geriatrics and nomads.

 

I live in North OB near UVic and pretty well every home sale up here has gone to families with young kids (pre-schoolers). These houses dont have suites. But with the exception of 1 family both spouses are in the system, mid-to senior management in some level of government.  

 

I dont think its families leaving Victoria as much as more people of an older demographic moving here. 

Edited by rjag, 27 June 2020 - 07:14 PM.

[Mike K.]

Currently the only growth in the public school system is on the West Shore, where a dozen schools will have been built between 2015 and 2025, or thereabouts.

- Brookes
- New and larger Belmont
- Royal Bay (expanding)
- Pexsisen Elem (coming soon)
- Centre Mountain Mid (coming soon)
- North Langford Elem (planned)
- North Langford Sec (planned)
- South Langford Elem (planned)
- Sooke River Elem (planned)
- South Colwood Elem (planned)

SD61 has seen some growth but overall the number of students has remained relatively steady while the population continues to grow.

[A Girl is No one]

Yes I remember when we voted last. It was quite a long wait and some people gave up and left.

It was the longest I had ever had to wait for voting in my life...

[Midnightly]

Currently the only growth in the public school system is on the West Shore, where a dozen schools will have been built between 2015 and 2025, or thereabouts.

- Brookes
- New and larger Belmont
- Royal Bay (expanding)
- Pexsisen Elem (coming soon)
- Centre Mountain Mid (coming soon)
- North Langford Elem (planned)
- North Langford Sec (planned)
- South Langford Elem (planned)
- Sooke River Elem (planned)
- South Colwood Elem (planned)

SD61 has seen some growth but overall the number of students has remained relatively steady while the population continues to grow.

 

personally i'd have to disagree with you about growth in sd61,  during my daughters elementary years (she is currently just finishing grade 6) i watched the school nearly triple in population (they can no longer hold a whole school assembly in the gym without exceeding the fire limit), and i know her elementary school isn't the only one facing these numbers, many schools have had to juggle their classroom layouts, get rid of other rooms (computer room, rainbow rooms, parent rooms, strong start programs, shrink library space) due to the rising numbers within the schools, and also add portables these schools are bursting at the seams (richmond elementary will be opening up again as an annex part of lansdowne middle school, central at one point had to hold classes in the cafeteria)

[Mike K.]

That’s quite likely due to the closure of schools which has concentrated more students in remaining schools. There are currently 20,000 pupils in the SD61 system and 1,000 of them are international.

Speaking of which, is 19,000 local students a low or high figure, historically speaking? That roughly 7% of the population of the district’s coverage.

[Awaiting Juno]

5 years of tent cities.  5 years that this council has had to demonstrate that they could take on an issue like homelessness and make it better for the region.  Now, the mayor is asking for "patience and understanding".  I think Victorians have been tremendously patient, and too understanding.  I think the time for patience and understanding has long passed - because it would appear that the strategy of buying hotels in Victoria isn't working, because it just sends ever more homeless our way.  Maybe it's time our mayor admit - Victoria has reached its capacity and then some, we have enough hotels for Victoria and it's time some other cities begin buying hotels so that their homeless do not become Victoria's homeless.  It's time for Victoria to say - "this is our fair share", we are going to prioritize those who have called Victoria home for more than 3 years, and those who have been here less than three years, you're going to have to work with an emergency shelter system and wait lists.  Maybe it's time we had performance measures and goals that were tied to funding so that we actual do something about this issue.

 

Maybe it's time we look at our emergency shelter system too.  Maybe we should be segregating the users of it, so that the violent and criminal aren't put in with down on their luck.  Maybe we need increased security - and a whole range of appropriate facilities to meet a variety of needs.  Maybe our shelters and homelessness system needs to operate more like our hospital system - and maybe in order to access appropriate care and resources, maybe some people need to be sent to their home communities so that BC can meet the needs of it's population effectively.

 

Asking for patience and understanding though - the time for patience and understanding has long past.  Both Liberal and NDP governments have failed on this issue, and our cities and their mayors are struggling and some are failing because they refuse to set appropriate boundaries.  

[IPH]

We don't need any more hotels or shelters.  We just need a new mayor like Ralph Klein,  Hell if he was still around maybe he could do double duty as Mayor of Victoria and BC premier!

 

https://www.facebook...71363666251585/

[A Girl is No one]

We don't need any more hotels or shelters. We just need a new mayor like Ralph Klein, Hell if he was still around maybe he could do double duty as Mayor of Victoria and BC premier!

https://www.facebook...71363666251585/

Omg! That’s hilarious. My! how times have changed!

[Awaiting Juno]

Omg! That’s hilarious. My! how times have changed!

 

He's clear, if you're here to work and contribute, great - but if you can't make a go of it, its time to move on, and he wasn't going to tolerate people coming to commit crimes.  Anyone who comes to Victoria and wishes to contribute and make it home, and doesn't have to resort to crime or sleeping on the streets to make it happen should be welcome.  Even those with a bit of assistance (ie. 3 months) who can make a go of it should be welcome, but we really don't need people here to use others who are working hard to support themselves and their families and really do not need the burden of having to support people with no intention of being here lawfully.

Edited by Awaiting Juno, 28 June 2020 - 08:57 AM.

[IPH]

Omg! That’s hilarious. My! how times have changed!

Who was attempting humor?