Category: Housing and Safety

By Sheila Pepper, Housing and Safety Convenor

We are pleased to see initiatives for upgrading, repairing and building new affordable, supportive housing in the Greater Vancouver area. The various city and provincial government departments are better coordinated and committed to solving this urgent problem.

So many more migrants, immigrants, foreign students and homeless people need accommodation in the areas around Vancouver. Monthly rental prices for even smaller apartments and condos have risen dramatically over the last five years in particular, and in the last three decades in general. Many laneway small homes have had City approvals, finally, and many more need to be built in our densely populated downtowns.

Foreign students come to our cities for the fall to spring education institution years in particular, and their situation is critical, as is the situation for the many newly homeless families, youth and singles coming to our area every year. We have been pleased to see so many churches committed to social housing on their attached parking lots and lands. Hopefully, the various city and provincial authorities in charge will improve and streamline the approval processes for building new accommodation for these groups; they have promised to do so.

Safety has always been a concern for us all, particularly for vulnerable populations such as women, children, youth and seniors. Many of us are well aware of the various risks and can prepare ourselves and our families for most of them. When on our streets and in public transportation, we can protect our belongings and our bodies with careful planning and preparation. Courses are available, in person at community centre and educational institutions and online.

Seniors are now more aware of concerns for their health, housing situations, community connections and safety than in decades past. For example, we used to hitchhike with confidence when we were young, but that changed dramatically in the 1970’s and since. Many aspects of seniors’ lives have changed in recent decades and we are more aware of the urgency in cases of our health, fitness, continuing education and training in many aspects of survival than our parents seemed to be concerned with.

By Kerry Gibson, Housing and Safety Convenor

Affordable housing opportunities across BC have accelerated. However, circumstances such as floods and fire continue to displace lower-income residents in Kamloops, Princeton, and the Downtown East Side.

In Vancouver, city officials are simultaneously increasing approvals while trialing controversial policies affecting specific demographics (such as 50+), and Victoria passed a “missing middle” vote that has satisfied neither the supply proponents nor the residential home owners.

Despite the increase in discussion and approvals, supply correction will not manifest in the time frame required, due to inflation and supply chain concerns. Economists have been eyeing softwood lumber prices and tariffs as an indicator forecasting a slump in builds.

An 8% increase in student housing costs has alarmed many post-secondary students already on tight budgets. The increase will affect food budgets, which have already been affected by inflation. The increases may cost many students out of continuing their education.

During a time when skilled labour is in short supply, and UBC is the primary supply for medically trained personnel, the province may look to significantly subsidizing students in identified industries where BC experiences shortfall, with contingencies to keep those skills local.

Tiny homes may offer a transitional opportunity for populations such as the currently unhoused, displaced populations, and returning veterans. Tiny home communities have sprung up all over the world, and are a cleaner, safer alternative to tent cities and SROs. These mini-residences offer the privacy, resources, security, warmth, pride of place, and dignity necessary for individuals and families to gain their footing. The model has also proven to be more cost-effective than supporting people residing on the street. Although some communities welcome the idea, others (such as Mission) have ousted the proposal which may be short-sighted without a contingency plan.

By Kerry Gibson, Housing and Safety Convenor

As Premier Eby, former Housing Minister, has been sworn into office, housing advocates appeal to his understanding of the housing crisis for a renewed push for mitigation and reform. Eby is urged to review what is occurring in New Zealand regarding changes to minimum zoning standards, noting that New Zealand enacted national reforms that established minimum zoning standards and legalized multifamily housing. They recommend that six-plexes be the minimum standard to be economically viable and sustainable.

Although the housing crisis is highlighted most frequently in an urban Vancouver context, and reflected in the unhoused population in the DTES, the crisis has affected communities across BC. In particular, communities with colleges and universities have been struggling to house students as well as dealing with community push-back on the creation of more student housing, citing NIMBY politics opposed to neighbourhood disruptions they fear young people will bring with such developments.

The Bank of Canada has reported that with increasing interest rates, housing prices will continue to fall through 2023, but not enough to create affordability. Canadian Real Estate Magazine reports that housing supply affordability is driven by a number of factors. With huge immigration numbers fuelling high demand for real estate, it is likely that prices will remain unaffordable for a large number of Canadians. The Bank of Canada is set to continue sustaining rising interest rates through 2023, which keeps mortgage rates higher even as prices start to come down. This will be exacerbated by increasing immigration targets throughout 2023 and 2024. Curbing immigration is not the answer, however. As labour shortages continue to mount, immigration is necessary to drive an economic return. Wages are not being increased in accordance with the increases in cost of living metrics, therefore not keeping up with the increase in inflation.

BC Housing, Kamloops, and Social Services are looking to establish an extreme weather response shelter for vulnerable people. As climate change continues to deliver atypical conditions, these shelters may require more prevalence and permanency than previously established. However, staffing concerns may delay operational readiness. All municipalities will need to continuously review their readiness plans in order to prevent loss of life in extreme conditions.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is following through on his campaign promise of 100 new police officers and 100 new mental health nurses by tabling a motion to allocate $6 million to the initiative. However, there is concern both within council and from community advocates that there are better and more cost-effective ways of accomplishing the end goal of supporting the public well-being. Hiring would be done by VPD and VCH. The discussion and vote is set for November 23^rd.

By Kerry Gibson, Housing and Safety Convenor

Housing

On October 15^th, 2022 Ken Sim was elected Mayor of Vancouver with primarily an ABC and OneCity slate. This may imply that the platforms of those dominating parties will reflect in upcoming developments regarding housing concerns in City Hall. The OneCity platform can be reviewed here and the ABC platform here . Neither platform is comprehensive, however both seem progressive-leaning.

CMHC has noted that housing development, particularly in the condominium sector, are down substantially (46%) as developers are hesitant to engage in projects that may not be as profitable as in the past. This may be problematic when considering Vancouver’s supply concerns, although this may correct as Ken Sim has a platform to execute on pre-existing relationships with the developers to see it through. Another hindrance, however, “There is insufficient labour capacity to address significant housing supply gaps in British Columbia,” the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported last week. The lack of skilled trades people has been problematic across all industries particularly through the pandemic. This may be an opportunity for contractors to be more inclusive in apprenticeship and hiring practices for women. Although the trades offer a secure and fairly stable economic opportunity for women, many women still report that male-dominated environments such as building sites are not welcoming and inclusive. A cultural shift would be welcomed to engage more women into trades positions, given the shortfall. Also, an assessment of immigration might be necessary to not necessarily prioritize those with post-graduate degrees but also those with qualified trades skills that are lacking locally. A shortage of tradespeople will result in an increase in labour costs, therefore an increase in development costs, which most likely will get incorporated into either rental or market pricing for the end consumer, which, without consideration or government intervention, will continue to decrease the opportunity for access to sustainable housing models.

Indigenous-led supportive housing is on the rise, as First Nations are striving for self-determination. For instance, in Terrace the Kitselas First Nation is building 40 new units, only 32 of which will be wheelchair accessible.  Ahmed Hussen, federal minister of housing, promised better housing for Indigenous communities in announcing on October 13 more than $25 million in combined federal and provincial money for the project. Indigenous communities are no longer trusting government contractors, who can develop sub-standard and insubstantial housing, instead taking the reins and directing feasibility studies, contract negotiations, and vetting processes, suppliers, and contractors in order to co-design quality structures. However, while the federal government might be supportive, local coalitions may not be. For instance, in Kitsilano, two local community groups have filed complaints regarding the Squamish Nation development which will surely impede the process of the build.

The BC NDP has decided to exclude Anjali Appadurai from the NDP leadership race because of electoral violations. This may be a blessing in disguise, as the former Minister of Housing David Eby, who is aware of housing concerns throughout the province, will maintain his position as the future leader of the NDP party. Whether his understanding and learnings of the concerns will play a part in his leadership has yet to be determined.

Safety

Given the surge in violent crime, all levels of government are responding to public outcry, both financially and through policy development. Given the municipal mayoral candidate who platformed 100 new police officers and 100 new supplemental social workers to work alongside them was elected in Vancouver, the “defund the police” movement was overruled (sidebar, the original “defund the police” movement was intended to achieve just that…more social workers involved in police de-escalation). All levels of government are now in consultation to determine funding and programs to mitigate violent crime.