How bad is Vancouver’s rental crisis? Very bad.

Good morning,

Vancouver, in my humble opinion as a dog owner, is not very dog friendly. Most patios don’t allow dogs and you can’t take them on transit. So I’m glad to see the city may be planning to expand off-leash parks, with two new proposed parks in Heather and Granville Park. Dog owners rejoice!

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got:

• The scope of Vancouver’s rental crisis 📈

• Updates on opioid deaths for youth 💉

• Reviews of some of the biggest art shows this month 🎭

Let’s go!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout newsletter writer

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 19 🌡️ 12 | 🌤

Thursday: 24 🌡️ 14 | ☀️

Friday: 25 🌡️ 14 | 🌤

HOUSING

A breakdown of Vancouver’s rental crisis

What happened: Data released by BC Non-Profit Housing Association shows that Vancouver renters are suffering under the housing crisis, with residents who pay 30 percent of their income to housing at six percentage points higher than the rest of Canada, according to analysis by The Lookout of the Canadian Rental Housing Index.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation says housing is affordable when less than 30 percent of pre-tax income is spent on shelter. In Vancouver, 39 percent of people pay over that percentage, compared to 33 percent in Canada.

• Worth mentioning: The data is from the 2021 census, which is the most comprehensive data set available. But costs have skyrocketed in recent years, so the average cost is almost certainly much higher.

Rental costs: The average rental cost in Vancouver is $1,658 compared to $1,492 in B.C. and $1,208 nationally. Rent is on average $98 more expensive in Vancouver than Toronto.

Oh, it gets worse: The report calls anyone spending more than 50 percent of their income on rent a “crisis,” according to Global. In Vancouver, that number is 18 percent compared to 13 percent nationally.

Demographic breakdown: Pity the young… Those between the ages of 15-29 are being absolutely crushed by rental costs in Vancouver. The average household cost of rent and utilities is the highest amongst this age group, at $1,808 per month. An astonishing 52 percent of young people in Vancouver pay more than 30 percent of their income to rent, compared to 39 percent in total.

• Across Canada, 44 percent of 18-29 year olds pay more than 30 percent of their income to rent and utilities.

Analysis: Canada’s housing crisis is most acute in Vancouver, and especially amongst the next generation of people who want to call Vancouver home. In 2021 Vancouver’s population actually fell by 6,780 according to Vancouver is Awesome. Many neighbourhoods also saw a population decline, albeit a small one, including the Victoria-Fraserview, Shaughnessy, West Point Grey and Grandview-Woodland according to Census Mapper using data from the last census.

What it means: It’s bad, really really bad. How do we expect to build a city for future generations if they can’t afford to live in it? There’s also no sign of the problem slowing down, but in fact, rental prices are accelerating. No quick fix exists.

Sorry: I did not mean to leave this story on a sad note, but the scope of the problem is truly overwhelming.

VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS

🏈 9: The number of Grey Cup games hosted at BC Place. The stadium just hit its 40th birthday. [Business in Vancouver]

🛍️ 2.4%: How much Canadian retail sales climbed in a year in March, compared to March of the previous year. That’s 0.8 percent higher than other major countries like France, Germany and the U.K. [CTV]

📉 $90-$125: The cost per year that your gas bill could fall if a quarterly rate change is approved. [Vancouver is Awesome]

HEALTH

Youth aren’t dying from safe supply, according to the province

What happened: In the midst of a debate over the accuracy and validity of reports of youth dying from safe drug supply, the BC Coroner’s Office has released a more detailed look at the drug overdose crisis amongst youth, according to CTV.

• The findings indicate only eight percent of youth had hydromorphone — the safe supply drug — in their system at the time of death, but in none of those cases was it the only drug.

The numbers: A total of 142 youth have died between 2017 and 2022, which is only 1.4 percent of total toxic drug supply deaths, according to CTV. It is the leading cause of death among people under 19 years of age.

Zoom out: The overall deaths due to toxic drug supply have recently trended in a better direction. Deaths hit 176 in May, which was a decrease of 19 percent from April, according to an analysis done by the Northern Sentinel. It’s also a 16 percent decrease compared to this month last year.

• Yes, but: While that snapshot is positive, the overall trendline is bleak. So far there have been 1,018 deaths, up from 896 at this point last year, an increase of 12 percent.

What it means: These findings about youth overdose deaths would seem to contradict reporting by the National Post that alleged there is a crisis of youth dying from safe supply. So far there is little actual evidence to back up those claims.

Thought-bubble: It’s critical to focus on the real cause of deaths, and not be sidetracked by unrelated issues. Safe supply, whatever people think of it, is according to the data not responsible for deaths — toxic drugs are.

Rather than critiquing safe supply, the real critique should be the months-long wait for treatment beds. The B.C. government has only added 360 since 2017, or only 11 percent new beds, in the midst of a drug crisis, according to CTV.

QUOTE

“Whether you’re in Smithers or Kitimat or Prince George or over on the island, there is a rental affordability crunch that many renters are experiencing.… The federal government used to invest very heavily into non-profit and co-op housing to the point that at the peak years of those programs, one in every five homes in this country was a non-profit or co-op home and that went to zero in 1993. So they’re starting to get that back up and going but we need to see a lot more of it.”

— BC Non-Profit Housing Association CEO Jill Atkey in an interview with Global News about their latest rental report.

HOMES OF THE WEEK

Today we’re threading over to Commercial to look at what is and isn’t affordable.

Vancouver-affordable

Yes, you can get a one-bedroom apartment near Commercial for under $550,000. Is this price affordable? Tough to say. But the layout is nice, there’s a decent amount of kitchen space and it’s in a great part of town. Plus it’s dog and cat friendly. See how much under $550,000 it is.

Not affordable

This home is described as family-friendly, but with only two bedrooms at this price, I’m not buying it. With that said, you get 1,050 square feet, with a nice patio and a spacious living room. Of course, at this price, you may need to switch from lattes to cheaper home-brewed coffee!

The “only in your dreams” home

Most of the truly expensive homes around Commercial are meant for redevelopment or are multi-plex suites. So it’s nice to find at least one full house you could call home. While nice definitely does not mean cheap, this four-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot home has a lovely interior with a massive kitchen and a big backyard for gardening.

THE AGENDA

💻️ Over 200 files from the Metro Vancouver Transit Police files were hacked, which is connected to a Russian cyber-extortion gang. The software has been fixed and police say it has not affected any investigations. [CBC]

👮 A man was arrested after he jumped on a police car and smashed the window on Sunday. Charges are pending. If you get stopped at a traffic stop like this guy, do not do this! [CityNews]

🏗️ City staff are backing a development proposal to build four single-family lots into a 62-person condo complex on the 500 block of Ash Street. [Vancouver Sun]

🚨 Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a president of a major Sikh gurdwara in Surrey, was shot and killed yesterday in what police are saying appears to be a targeted killing. An investigation is underway. [Global News]

📉 The refunds for hundreds of buildings that participated in the EV Charger Rebate Program are in limbo as the B.C. government’s $5,000 rebate is not accepting any more applications. [Business in Vancouver]

🧑‍⚖️ A B.C. Supreme Court Judge has ruled against parents of the Queen Elizabeth Annex who were suing to keep the school open. [The Breaker]

🔥 A massive fire Tuesday morning on Richards and West Pender Street required 17 fire trucks, which the city says was caused by a fire inside a tent. [Daily Hive]

🏢 If you’re looking for more details on Indigenous-led city building, Squamish nation councillor Khelsilem has a helpful breakdown of the history behind the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations and how they’re creating a more livable city. [Khelsilem]

ARTS

Theatre

The Carole King Musical is called an “uplifting" and “compelling story” which tells the history of the famous singer-songwriter. [Stir]

The Window Outside at the Presentation House Theatre tackles aging families struggling with the effects of getting old. [Stir]

Music

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is celebrating Indigenous culture on June 24 with their free full day event at the Orpheum Theatre from 1:30 pm-7 pm. [Stir]

If you like Opera, then be sure to check out Opera in the Park at Burnaby’s Deer Lake. The performance returns July 16, with performances throughout the summer. [Straight]

The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra is hosting works from composers from Canada, Iran, Netherlands and the U.S. in the coming weeks. [Stir]

Movies

Sad news for movie lovers. The last drive-in movie theatre in the region is closing after the property jumped in value. [Vancouver Sun]

Don’t miss out on the Grease sing-along at the Rio Theatre, celebrating the famous film’s 45th anniversary.

Musicals not your thing? Then can we interest you The Centenary of Armenia Cinema at the Cinematheque which explores the history of Armenia cinema.

Art

There’s so much art happening this summer, so be sure to check out Stir’s Summer Arts Guide so you don’t miss a single show.

Artist Mikayla Hong is creating beautiful renditions of popular Vancouver storefronts. [Vancouver Magazine]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Caribbean food is having a resurgence in Metro Vancouver thanks to a new generation of chefs. I’ve always felt the city was really missing Caribbean food, so it’s great news to read! [Montecristo]

• If you’re travelling solo, then Vancouver is apparently a great place to travel. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Two months after a devastating fire, the Kitsilano Showboat has reopened. The organization crowdfunded $31,000 for repairs. [Global]

• Reddit users are sharing just how much more affordable Vancouver was back in the 2000s. A two-bedroom apartment for $800 a month? Yes please…

• Bagheera is making a name for itself in Vancouver’s bar scene. Learn more about the team behind it and its sister bar Laowai. [Straight]

GAME TIME

Congrats to Alberta and an unnamed person who correctly guessed the number of storeys planned for the tallest building in the Jericho Lands development. The answer was 49.

Today’s VancouverGuesser is another SkyTrain station, since everyone really seems to enjoy these. Can you guess this SkyTrain station? This one’s harder since it’s not a popular station.