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Housing units are being approved, but building them is taking too long
Plus, more fun at the PNE and crazy weather
Geoff Sharpe
April 28, 2023
Good morning,
I’m a sucker for retro videos, and this ad for Science World has it all — singing, catchy tunes and pixelated video. Sadly it’s also part of a story about Science World needing some major repairs. But let’s just enjoy the great tune.
Today we’ve got:
The good, bad and ugly of building homes in Vancouver 🏠
PNE expansion 🎤
And lovely but dangerous weather ☀️🌊 🔥
— Geoff Sharpe, newsletter writer
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WEATHER
Friday: 23 🌡️ 13 | ☀️
Saturday: 24 🌡️ 11 | ☀️
Sunday: 17 🌡️ 10 | 🌧
Monday: 17 🌡️ 10 | 🌧
VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS
🏘️ 10,800: The number of new homes and housing units approved by Vancouver, which is higher than the 10-year average. [Urbanized]
🚗 86: The number of deaths due to distracted driving in B.C. That’s up 40 percent annually. Get off your phone! [CBC]
💰 $20 million: The cost to rehabilitate Science World. Currently it’s dealing with leaks in the roof, lights not working, and broken air conditioning. [YouTube]
HOUSING
A closer look at Vancouver’s housing statistics
Vancouver’s city planning staff released a report on the status of the city’s housing strategy. The results? Good, bad and ugly.
The good: The city approved 10,825 new homes in 2022, according to Urbanized, with a 150 percent above their yearly goal of 7,200. That also includes 4,260 purpose-built market units, much higher than the 2,000 target.
The bad: While homes are being approved, there are serious questions about how it’ll impact affordability. Only 31 percent of homes for households whose incomes are below $80,000 were built in the last six years, down from the goal of 50 percent, according to Vancouver is Awesome.
A senior city housing planner blamed rising costs. Social housing construction was also stalled, with 30 percent unable to be built because of costs.
The ugly: Remember that 10,825 number? Unfortunately construction is not matching approval, as reported in the Globe and Mail. Since 2017, 43,000 homes have been approved but only 28,000 have been built (65 percent), and only 1,359 rental units were built.
Another problem? Vancouver is disproportionately funding and building the supportive housing stock for the entire Metro Vancouver area.
Zoom out: It’s not just addressing current supply. Future supply will be impacted by immigration, with an expected influx of 20,000 to 30,000 new people to Vancouver per year, according to Vancouver is Awesome.
What it means: The city solved its approvals problem but now the pace of building is the bigger challenge. With the Broadway Corridor slated to bring in even more housing development in the coming years, the slowdown likely won’t disappear anytime soon.
The rental picture is also quite bleak. The Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation said rental prices are especially poised to grow in the coming years as fewer houses are built, according to Urbanized.
INFRASTRUCTURE
PNE gets an upgrade
The PNE is about to get a whole new reason for people to visit, thanks to a brand new amphitheatre.
The details: The 10,000-person capacity amphitheatre is slated to open by 2026 and will cost around $70 million, replacing the current one, according to Business in Vancouver. Construction will start next year.
The roof is called a “starburst timber arch roof”, will be made from wood and will be 105 metres long, though the current design isn’t yet finalized.
Who’s got the dough: The building has no name yet, and if it’s anything like Rogers Arena or Rogers Nat Bailey Stadium or BMO Theatre, we can expect some large unloved corporation to snap up the naming rights in the hopes that we’ll feel ever so slightly more positive towards them.
What it matters: Outdoor spaces like this are key for livable and enjoyable cities, and are also extremely popular with bands and performers, according to the Vancouver Sun. It also aligns with the mayor and council’s goal to make Vancouver more fun. With more than double the seating capacity, expect even better events throughout the year.
THE AGENDA
🛣️ Vancouver council chose not to lower the speed limit at Cornwall Ave to 30 km/h and instead lowered it to 40 km/h. Parents had been calling for slower speed limits for safety reasons. City staff were also directed to look at making the area safer. [Twitter]
🚗 It’s official, parking in Chinatown will now only cost you $2 per hour. [Global News]
⚖️ Police and witnesses said Myles Gray, who died while being arrested by police, appeared to be on some sort of substance, but a doctor from the BC Toxicology Centre said there was no sign of alcohol or drugs in his system. [CTV]
🏥 TELUS will no longer offer publicly-covered health services as part of its LifePlus program. B.C. had taken the company to court over alleged violations of the Medicare Protection Act. The program is part of a perk package for employers (think high-priced executives). [The Vancouver Sun]
🌳 Don’t look now Vancouver, but Metrotown is about to get even better. Burnaby wants to create an urban public space along the SkyTrain line, which envisions recreation, arts, culture and food spaces. [Urbanized]
🍽️ Restaurant Sai Woo, which was embroiled in a social media spat over deposit requirements for group meals, has dropped the policy after a TikToker complained about the restaurant keeping their deposit. [Vancouver Sun]
🛍️ The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is calling on grocers who offer “food bank hampers” to stop the practice, as it’s more costly and offers fewer products than what the food bank could provide at the same price. [CityNews]
🏠 How do different neighbourhood densities impact city costs? That’s the question the Metro Vancouver Regional District is asking as it explores the difference in costs for infrastructure like sewage, water and parks of urban versus sprawl-based communities. [Urbanized]
⛴️ You no longer have to pay a reservation fee on BC Ferries when travelling for medical appointments, which will save travellers $18. [Global]
WEATHER
Avalanches, water shortages and fires, oh my
That heatwave Vancouver is about to experience may feel great, but it could play havoc with our weather systems this summer and in the coming weeks.
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes: Just like the Beatles song, the sun is here and it’s expected to get to 22 degrees this weekend. It’s already 10 degrees above normal according to the Vancouver Sun.
Areas around Kamloops, Bella Coola and Prince George already have a moderate risk of fire, according to the Canadian Press, which can’t bode well for the summer…
The breakdown: Snowpacks are expected to melt rapidly, causing potential waterways to rise in northern parts of the province, according to Vancouver is Awesome.
Avalanche Canada has also released an avalanche warning for much of B.C.’s mountains, which will last until May 1. This includes mountains around Vancouver and along the coast.
Zoom out: Vancouver’s long-term water problem isn’t so much flooding, but lack of water supply. According to the Vancouver Sun, the province’s only backup option to deal with expected water shortages are more restrictions, which doesn’t seem like a great solution in the long term.
While restrictions have forestalled water shortages, we may be getting close to the precipice. Water storage levels are expected to fall due to smaller snowpack accumulation. Fires and slides from the weather systems could cause treatment centres to be unable to cope.
Remember: Last year we had a drought and two of Vancouver’s hottest months ever, not to mention floods.
The Sun noted that one solution, which is to increase storage volume of water at the Coquitlam reservoir is moving, pardon the pun, at a glacial pace.
What it means: Further restrictions could be coming for Metro Vancouver as climate change wreaks havoc on systems we’ve come to take for granted.
Fun fact: Vancouver is among the highest per-capita water users in the world.
EVENTS
Family
Spring Pop-Up Market | Heritage Hall, Mt. Pleasant | 40+ local vendors selling their goods | Free to enter
SHINE Intercultural Spring Market | Britannia Community Centre | Sunday, 12 pm-4 pm | Music, food, art and dance, including free bannock and hotdogs | Free
Art
Patio Pottery Sale | Claytek Pottery Studio | Saturday 1 pm-5 pm | Come by and purchase some locally made pottery | Free
Strathcona Street Art and Mural Tour | Saturday | Discover the murals through a guided tour of the East End | Free but minimum $25 tip
Food
Richmond Night Market | 8351 River Rd., Richmond | Weekends all summer | It’s here! The famous market is now open. Food, entertainment, more food. Did we say food? | Tickets here
Vancouver International Wine Festival | Vancouver Convention Centre | Saturday - April 30 | The best wines in the world, an annual celebration of wine + food, voted #1 Food, Wine and Hospitality Event in Canada | Tickets $100+
Vancouver Brewer’s Fest | Various locations | Now until April 30 | Numerous events for beer lovers, including Lagerfer, brewery tours and food | Multiple events
Sports
Vancouver Canadians baseball game | Nat Bailey Stadium | Saturday and Sunday, 1 pm | Watch the team play against the Eugene Emeralds | Tickets $20
Whitecaps soccer game | BC Place | Saturday, 7:30 pm | Come watch the team play the Colorado Rapids | Tickets $30
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Check out this 99-year-old Vancouver tourism pamphlet. [Vancouver is Awesome]
A new documentary tells the story of the Vancouver Stanley Cup riots. [The Athletic]
Next month you can once again book free parking at the popular Buntzen Lake. [Global]
Browns bookstore is closing up shop. It costs $10 to fill up a bag of books, so stop by. [Reddit]
According to Reddit, Coq Frit, Mary Browns, DK Chicken and Chicko Chicken are all favourites for fried chicken in the city. [Reddit]
PHOTO OF THE DAY
As an owner of an adopted dog, I have a real soft spot for shelter animals, so every so often we’ll feature a photo of an animal who is looking for their forever home
“Benji is sweet-as-can-be, and has quickly won over the hearts of staff and volunteers. He loves meeting new people, offering you his paw and looking at you with his deep brown eyes. Benji could use a family who will help him become a calm and confident adult, as he can be a little nervous in new situations. He is extremely people oriented and will not leave your side.”
GAME TIME
Congrats to Michael who correctly guessed which beach we featured on Wednesday — it was third beach.
Today’s Wordle is about a summer shortage. Can you guess it?
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