What can an interview tell us about BC Housing’s new CEO?

Good morning,

They’re green. They’re mean (to opposing teams). They’re a Canucks supporting machine. The popular Green Men Canucks fans are back and they’re teasing some fun new things this year. A big difference from previous years? The Canucks are actually good!

You know what else is good? Local restaurants. And tomorrow, we’re launching our first edition of Vancity Lookout Eats. We’re exploring one of my favourite Richmond food courts, one that doesn’t get enough attention. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it.

• Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts in the survey. I’ll send around the results on Wednesday. I loved what you all had to say!

Today, we’re breaking down an interesting interview with the BC Housing CEO and compiled some new details on the BC Budget.

Let’s get to it

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

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WEATHER

Monday: 3 🌡️ -4 | ☀️

Tuesday: 3 🌡️ 0 | ❄️

Wednesday: 6 🌡️ -1 | 🌧️

LOOKING AHEAD

This is bad: It’s only February and there’s already an out-of-control fire near Chetwynd in northern BC. The provincial government seems to be anticipating a very bad season this year, with $405 million set aside over the next four years to deal with disaster mitigation and climate emergencies. Of that, around $76 million will be dedicated to dealing with fires. Don’t expect any outdoor fires while camping this year… [Canadian Underwriter]

HOUSING

Breaking down the interview with BC Housing’s CEO

What happened: The CEO of BC Housing, Vincent Tong, who was chosen back in April, chatted with the Vancouver Sun to discuss his plans and priorities. The organization has dealt with a number of controversies, including the province firing the entire board of directors, while sitting at a critical juncture in what is the biggest policy issue facing the province.

We’ve reviewed the interview — here are some interesting tidbits:

Phase-out happening: Tong noted that plan is to phase out SROs over the long term, as per the province’s announcement. They’re owned by both private providers and the government. He noted they are working with the city and the federal government for a long-term renovation plan to turn them into normal units, or get rid of them.

• What it means: This is a massive undertaking. SROs have served a critical function in the city, acting as the first point of housing for lower-income residents. But numerous factors — rising rents in private units, a high number of fires, neglect, and long-term health and safety issues — mean something has to change. It will be a massive undertaking given that about 7,000 people live in them, according to Global. 

Straight shooter: Interviews with former colleagues said he cares deeply about housing and is not a “bullshitter” (a direct quote). He was also one of the people who raised concerns about the former CEO’s violations of the conflict of interest rules, which eventually resulted in their firing. 

• What it means: Tong previously worked as the chief development officer at Toronto Community Housing. Professionalizing BC Housing through the hiring of someone with his experience shows how serious the province is about an organization that is critical to solving certain parts of the housing file. 

Experience for the job: Tong also has experience dealing with larger redevelopments of low-income areas, including Toronto’s Regent Park, a massive project turning it into a mixed-income community rather than a separate housing area serving only low-income residents.

What it means: Could this be a vision for the Downtown Eastside? Tong noted in the interview that there are more limited options for redevelopment, and that replacing each SRO unit will take plenty of capital investment. However, he does have experience with large housing changes, which is a positive sign for the future of existing SRO units.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

📈 $1,000: The minimum price for a hotel during Taylor Swift’s show in Vancouver, with prices rising closer to $2,000. You may want to avoid Downtown Vancouver on the 6th, 7th and 8th. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🔥 6: The number of months an arsonist was sentenced to after he started a fire in the Hazelwood Hotel in 2021. [Vancouver is Awesome]

⛽️ $0.14: The amount gas prices jumped in two days in Metro Vancouver. In some parts of Vancouver, it’s $1.88 per litre. This was due to supply shortages at the Parkland Refinery. [Global]

🚶 : The number of foreign visitors in December in BC. That’s 5.5 percent off the pre-pandemic December, but 25 percent higher than last year. [Business in Vancouver]

PROVINCIAL POLITICS

New criticism over the budget

In Friday’s newsletter, we broke down the budget and what it meant for cities. With a few more days to digest the news, more stakeholders are coming out and sharing their thoughts on the fiscal plan.

Transit problems: We included a note about this on Friday, but Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, the chair of the Mayor’s Council on Regional Transportation, noted that services are frozen at 2019 levels, leading to worsening overcrowding, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

New schools: There was nothing in the budget for new schools in Vancouver, but, even worse, none for Surrey which is dealing with students learning in 375 portables. The school board is seeking 10 new schools.

Budget breakdown: The $7.9-billion deficit in the budget may seem large, but as noted by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), the province has allocated $10 billion in contingency funding, much of which may not get used. So the actual number may be much lower than forecast. 

• Yes, but: Part of that contingency fund is due to the expected problems from wildfire season and climate change, according to Business in Vancouver, with around 100 fires already burning under the snow in January.

Polluter tax break: The province appears to be giving big polluters a $500-million tax cut, with a portion of emissions being exempt from the BC carbon tax, according to the CCPA.

NEW JOBS

Discover your dream job in Vancouver:

1. Chief executive officer at Post Secondary Employer’s Association

2. Director, student conduct, accountability and support at Langara College

3. Associate director of marketing & communications at Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation

4. Director, conflict management services at UBC

5. Chief operating officer at JFK Law LLP

THE AGENDA

❌ Mayor Ken Sim broke the rules and acted in a discriminatory manner, according to the integrity commissioner, when he refused to allow park board commissioner Laura Christensen to participate remotely in a meeting where Sim laid out his plan to end the park board. Christensen had a one-month-old at home and could only participate by calling in. [Vancouver Sun]

💊 Eight people allegedly part of a criminal group that manufactured counterfeit pharmaceuticals laced with fentanyl have been arrested. Police say the group may also be connected to the murder of Gagandeep Sandhu of Abbotsford last year. Around 356,000 counterfeit pills were seized, along with 1,500 rounds of ammunition. [CBC]

😮‍💨 Several homes were evacuated near Richards and Smithe Street after the smell of gas was reported at a building nearby on Saturday. No injuries were reported, and the leak was repaired. [CityNews]

🏗️ The person who died from the crane accident last week was a Vancouver permanent resident and mother of two from Mexico who was working on the project. The accident is currently under investigation. [Global News]

💉 A UBC study shows that safe supply provided by the Drug User Liberation Front, the now-closed organization accused of buying and selling drugs, cut drug overdoses in half for the 47 participants compared to when they didn’t have access. Naloxone usage also dropped by two-thirds. [Vancouver Sun]

❄️ With the weather expected to get cold this week, the city has opened cold weather shelters from now until Tuesday. You can find the spaces here. [Twitter]

🇺🇦 Supporters took to the Vancouver Art Gallery to stand in solidarity with Ukraine to mark the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion. [CityNews]

🏒 The Canucks beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime and Canucks not-so-favourite player Brad Marchand from the Bruins got into a fight. All in all, a great game for the good guys! The team is first in the league, above the Bruins by one point. 

👮 A 28-year-old has been arrested and charged with manslaughter for a stabbing near a Vancouver Fairview shelter last year. [CTV]

WEEKEND GUIDE

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival | Various movie theatres around town | Feb. 23-March 3 | Online and in-person films, workshops and more with videos and movies celebrating and exploring the outdoors | Starting at $28 per ticket, + discounts

Vancouver International Wine Festival | Vancouver Convention Centre | Feb. 24-March 3 | Wine lovers rejoice! Discover a world of new wines, talks and of course, tasting wine | Various ticket prices

Winter Arts Festival Vancouver 2024 | Multiple spots throughout Vancouver | Now until Feb. 27 | Beat the winter blues with art, storytelling, AR and live performances throughout the city | Free and by donation

Vancouver Cocktail Week | Multiple spots around town | March 3-10 | Celebrate the art of the cocktail with talented bartenders and other events around town | Various ticket prices

Beginner's Knitting Workshop | 3567 Commercial St. | Feb. 28, 6 pm | Learn the basics of knitting, no previous experience required | Tickets $74

Japanese Cooking Class - Teppanyaki Picnic | 487 Alexander St. Vancouver | Feb. 28, 6 pm | Learn how to make different foods using the teppanyaki griddle | Tickets $40

Signature Sunday Cocktail Brunch | Botanist | March 3 11:30 am-2:30 pm | Discover Vancouver’s chefs take on classic brunch dishes matched with cocktails | Tickets $171

Hatch Your Farm + Food Business | 138 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver | March 1, 9 am-5 pm | A six-part workshop to help you get involved in the food industry, including business planning, pricing and more | Tickets $57

Lucrezia - presented by Vancouver Opera | Vancouver Opera | March 8-10, | Re-imagining of an opera favourite, a tale of love | Free

Gastown Cocktail Crawl | Start at L’Abbatoir | March 3, 4 pm | Explore different cocktails and cocktail bars, part of the Vancouver Cocktail Week | Tickets $104

International Women's Day Art Fair | Pacific Arts Market | March 9, 1 pm | Showcasing women artists from around BC, including painting, jewelry, sculpture and more | Free

Green Garden Gala | Sutton Place Hotel | March 9, 7 pm | The glitziest and most glamorous event of Vancouver Cocktail Week, with drinks and food… and more drinks! | Tickets $187

PHOTO OF THE DAY

What a shot of fog rolling through Vancouver this weekend.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• This discussion on Reddit is truly the most Reddit-type of conversation — if you had to name your child from a SkyTrain station, what would it be? Joyce, Clark and Rupert were all popular, but I’m partial to Main Street Science World. [Reddit]

• Party people may be in for a treat — the FIFA fan festival could be held at the PNE in 2026 for the World Cup. [Offside]

• Good news about local media — local publication Megaphone has partnered with UBC to develop best practices for reporting on communities that are often marginalized. [CBC]

• Lynx, the affordable air carrier, has gone bankrupt. Sort of good news? WestJet has cut their prices by 25 percent on routes Lynx used to run, with many to and from Vancouver. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• A new documentary is exploring the historically Black neighbourhoods in Vancouver, including Hogan’s Allex in Strathcona. [CBC]

GAME TIME

DO GOOD MONDAY

Looking to bring a bit of good into the community? Here’s one way:

Assistant chief for Vancouver Fire and Rescue, Christopher Won, almost lost his life after an infection while travelling in Singapore. It was so bad, he was forced to have his leg amputated. Friends of Christopher have launched a GoFundMe for him, his wife and children, to help with hiss medical expenses, such as prosthetic limbs. You can donate or share the GoFundMe here.