How BC's big transit housing announcement affects Vancouver

Good morning!

Are you a small organization looking for an easy way to get in front of tens of thousands of people? We’ve launched a classified ads section so anyone can easily get their message out. Go here to learn more.

We also offer bigger ad placements for groups looking to generate sales, build awareness or just want to reach people in Vancouver. We’ve still got spots available in December so contact us today if you’re interested.

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got a huge housing announcement from the BC government and what it means for Vancouver, as well as a look at Mayor Ken Sim’s media interviews after his first year in office. 

Let’s get to it!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

Editor’s note — In yesterday’s member’s-only newsletter, I referred to UBC professor in Urban Design Patrick Condon as Peter, which was made extra embarrassing by the fact I included two tweets in the newsletter that had his name in it. Thanks to a totally different person named Petter for flagging that. We regret the error.

HOUSING

Are the new short-term housing rules already working?

If you thought that the province was done with announcing big changes to housing, you would be very wrong!

What happened: In one of the biggest housing policy changes this year —and that’s saying something — the province introduced legislation that would increase density at transit hubs, such as SkyTrains, in an attempt to get more housing built, according to CityNews.

The changes: Anywhere 800 metres around a SkyTrain station would automatically be upzoned to allow much more density, with up to 20 storeys as a minimum in specific areas. The government estimates there are more than 100 of these potential areas across the province. Here’s a helpful breakdown of the different areas and what can be built.

Here are the minimums for SkyTrain stations:

• 20 storeys: Within 200 metres of a SkyTrain station

• 12 storeys: Within 201 to 400 metres of a SkyTrain station

• Eight storeys: 401 metres to 800 metres of a SkyTrain station

Another big change is ending parking minimums, which can add an extra $50,000-$100,000 per unit according to Global. Parking will be decided per project, doing away with set minimums that many cities demanded, while still allowing developers to build as much as they want. 

In Vancouver: This map below illustrates how much area in Vancouver is impacted by these changes. The pink area represents land zoned only for single or two-family households. As you can see, it’s a big area.

• Of course, it also leaves big tracts of land unimpacted, cough * Point Grey * cough. 

Zoom out: As noted by housing expert Yonah Freemark, considered in the context of housing on transit lines in America, this is a big deal. If you know Toronto, you might find this thread interesting which showcases the circles transposed onto different Toronto neighbourhoods. 

Where it could go wrong: Like all policies, the devil is in the details. Proper safeguards will need to be in place to stop municipalities from limiting these projects from being built. The province will need to keep a close eye on each municipality. 

What it means: This is one of those stories where we should actually feel good. It’s a big development that will go a long way to creating more housing in the city. I’ve said before that many of the policies by the BC government only tinker at the edges of the problem — well, with enough tinkering, change can happen, and it’s fair to say this, if done correctly, will have a serious impact on building more homes. 

What’s next: The province says that municipal governments will need to change their policies no later than June 30 of next year, according to Urbanized. 

Josh Messmber has created an interactive map to show the impact of the legislation on each bus exchange and SkyTrain location.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

💸 $25.68: The estimated living wage in Vancouver, or what a family needs to make in order to live in the city. But most people say this is far too low. [CityNews]

🏠 $2,114: The lowest rent in a Vancouver neighbourhood, in Hastings-Sunrise. The most expensive neighbourhood to rent in is — not surprisingly! — West Point Grey/UBC. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🚆 $62: How much a round-trip train ticket from Vancouver to Seattle will set you back during Amtrak’s sale which is on right now. [Urbanized]

SPONSORED BY THE GIST

Leveling the playing field of sports news

🎾 Want to stay up to date with the biggest headlines in sports, without spending hours doing it? Check out The Gist - a free email newsletter with a refreshing female perspective.

• Women led and women-written, The GIST saves you time by jampacking the best men’s and women’s sports news into a <5-minute read, 4 times a week 

Click to join 700,000+ other readers and get the “gist” of what’s happening in the sports world, for free.

CITY HALL

Key takeaway from Ken Sim’s one-year media blitz

Mayor Ken Sim was out in force this week giving numerous interviews about his first year as mayor, when he was sworn in on Nov. 7 of last year. We’ve read through the stories. Here’s what we found as the key takeaways:

Setting limitations: In an interview with CityNews, Sim noted that his promise to hire 100 nurses was contingent on Vancouver Coastal Health. He also mentioned that to deal with public safety required other levels of government to step up. It’s not passing the buck per se, but some may say this isn’t as encouraging as it could be. 

But also noting his wins: He touted that his ABC party had achieved 40 of their 94 promises, though to be fair, one of those was not doing something that the previous mayor Kennedy Stewart said he wasn’t going to do, namely the road tax, according to Global. 

It’s all about vibes: Chinatown continues to be a big point of pride for him, as council has undertaken a focused approach to help the community. Vibes was a major part of his start to being mayor and he’s trying to continue the good times into the next year. 

But vibes aren’t enough: CBC reporter Justin McElroy pointed out that some of the key metrics that could be used to measure success — housing prices, crime, opioid deaths — are all trending worse. It didn’t help that to answer that question about dealing with these substantive policy issues, he pivoted to talking about getting the Stanley Park train running. 

No regrets: Sim said he had no regrets about the crackdown on the encampments in East Hastings, saying that anyone who wanted a place to stay was able to receive it, according to CityNews, though advocates at the time said there weren’t enough housing spots when the clearing of the encampment happened, according to the CBC. 

Taxes on his mind: During an interview with Urbanized, he noted that the large 10.9 percent tax increase earlier this year wasn’t communicated properly and that it only cost around 33 cents per day for a condo owner and 89 cents per day for a homeowner. It’s a policy that I’m sure Sim wasn’t happy with given that he made opposition to a road tax a central part of his campaign. 

The Lookout’s view: In many ways, it’s still a vibes-based mayorship, with a focus on aesthetics, amenities, and events, versus concrete action that improves the biggest issues. A focus on events and amenities isn’t necessarily a bad thing — making a city more livable is important, god knows Vancouver doesn’t do enough.

On the flip side, with a majority council, nothing is stopping ABC from enacting some higher-profile policies that could yield big dividends. But one gets the impression that Sim may be more interested in making Vancouver fun than some of the other tougher issues, which may be a problem when the next election arrives. 

THE AGENDA

💰️ Should the provincial government control who gives funding to cities? That’s what Premier David Eby and other Canadian Premiers favour, with the Eby calling it an “irritant” that the federal government announces housing funding without discussing it with the province. [Vancouver Sun]

🏘️ Could the era of single-family homes in Shaughnessy be coming to an end? The restrictive land use zoning in the area could be rolled back if a motion introduced by One City Coun. Christine Boyle next week is passed. The motion focuses on allowing different types of housing, including non-profit, co-op and mixed-income rentals. [CityNews]

❄️ If you’re driving up to the Interior this weekend, be aware that there could be snow storms. You also are required to have winter tires. [CityNews]

🚅 If you travel often from Surrey or outside Surrey to Vancouver, we have some good news — the Surrey to Langley SkyTrain expansion is set to begin construction in 2024. Surrey is in desperate need of transit as it continues to experience high levels of population growth. [CityNews]

🥳 We may be approaching a new era of fun city. Council just approved bylaw changes that will allow more events in what are called unconventional venues, like offices, shops, warehouses and gardens. Arts and cultural organizations can also host up to six events per month. [Business in Vancouver]

🤔 Is one of Vancouver’s biggest property developers in trouble? Over in Ontario, a union has initiated a court action against Westbank Corp for payment delinquencies. This is the same group constructing the Oakridge Park project with 3,500 units in more than 12 towers. Currently, the union’s workers are continuing to work on the project, but they hinted that could change. [Vancouver Sun]

👮 Police are looking for the driver of a Dodge Durango that hit two people on Burrard Street near Canada Place on Wednesday morning. [CityNews]

EVENTS

Remembrance Day at Victory Square Cenotaph | 200 West Hastings St. | Nov. 11, 10 am-12 pm | The oldest continuing annual ceremony | Free

Leaderboard Coffee Cupping - Public Coffee Tasting | Elysian Coffee Roasters | Nov. 11, 12pm | Taste a wide variety of coffees from different regions | Tickets $15

Paris Bistro Classics | Second Floor Bistro | Nov, 11, 6 pm | Enjoy a four-course menu with local ingredients focused on French food | Tickets $134

GALERIE Launch Party | Nov. 15, 5 pm-7 pm Art, wine and music, with conversation with local artists | Tickets $38

Vintage Pop-up Vintage Show | 703 Terminal Ave | Nov. 12 | Records, vinyl, antiques, come get em all! | Tickets $6

Elf: The Musical | Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage | Nov. 2-Dec. 31 | Come see Elf like you’ve never seen it before, as an on-stage musical | Starting at $46

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival | Rio Theatre | Nov. 14-19 | Come see 25 of the best mountain films this year | Tickets $23

Eastside Culture Crawl | All throughout East Vancouver | Nov. 16-19, various times | One of the best art events of the year, come check out the studios of artists throughout East Vancouver | Free

Vancouver Christmas Market | Jack Poole Plaza | Nov. 16-Dec. 24 | One of the best Christmas festivals in the city, come celebrate the Christmas spirit with food, drinks and other vendors | Starting at $15.99

Got Craft Holiday Market | 3250 Commercial Drive | Nov. 18-19 | 95+ small businesses showing off their wares | Free

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Here’s why the show cannot go on at the Kitsilano Showboat. [Vanmag]

• 🐶 Meet Joy (and Honey Toes)! Watch their video here to learn why flexibility matters for drivers like Joy.*

• Well that was fast. The Stanley Park Bright Night Train sold out of its 23,000 tickets in 90 minutes. [Global]

• But there are still other options if you don’t mind venturing into Metro Vancouver. 

• Love these old vehicles in this photo of Vancouver in 1968. [Reddit]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here

*Sponsored ad

GAME TIME

Congrats to Tessa, Gia and Marina who all knew the intersection was Boundary and Kingsway!

Today’s Vancouver Wordle is a steamy word. Can you guess what it is? Play here.