Premier criticizes Metro Vancouver spending, calls for audit

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Good morning,

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Today we’ve got a story on Metro Vancouver facing even more pressure, as well as some housing news that’s (not surprisingly) bad. 

Let’s dive in 

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

Editor’s note: In Monday’s newsletter we called George Harvie a Delta councillor. He is in fact the mayor. The Lookout apologizes for the error. 

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 24 🌡️ 16 | ☀️ 

Thursday: 26 🌡️ 14 | ☀️ 

Friday: 27 🌡️ 16 | 🌤️

PROVINCE

Premier criticizes Metro Vancouver spending, calls for audit

Remember on Monday when I discussed how Metro Vancouver was facing increased pressure from local governments? Well, it’s no longer local criticism.

What happened: Premier David Eby has sounded off on Metro Vancouver’s cost problems, related to the wastewater treatment plant cost overruns and the $700,000 salary and pay for its chief administrative officer, according to Global, and indicated the province could step in. 

Background: Metro Vancouver, the regional authority responsible for wastewater, sewage and other regional functions, has been under fire for the billion-dollar cost overrun of the North Shore Wastewater plant. This has spiralled into growing calls for reforming the organization.

Details: The premier called on Metro Vancouver to hire an independent auditor to review what is exactly going on. He also indicated that “if the elected officials at Metro Vancouver can't ensure taxpayer accountability for expenses being incurred there, obviously the province will have to step in.” 

It’s part of a trend: Eby’s statement around municipal issues is another example of the province inserting itself into issues that it has mostly stayed out of. The biggest example of this is the province’s push into housing policy, forcing the cities to build more rather than waiting for them to act, including directly instructing them to update community plans to reflect those new policies. 

• For its part, Metro Vancouver has recently taken a more forceful approach when dealing with the province, with a report released in January that argued there would be increased urban planning problems and sprawl from the BC NDP’s housing policy, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

What it means: You hear that sound? It’s the clock ticking, as we get closer to a provincial election. Issues around affordability are always a big political football, and it’s clear Eby sees an opportunity to get on the side of what could be assumed as a popular issue, that of fighting government waste and tax increases. The premier was noticeably silent on specifics about when exactly the province would intervene.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

👮 5: The number of homicides in Vancouver so far this year, with the most recent being a stabbing last week. [CityNews]

🌲 100,000: Vancouver plans to plant this many trees in order to combat hot temperatures. Having lived in Chinatown, I can say definitively that the area needs at least a few of them! [National Observer]

HOUSING

New report says housing “impossibly unaffordable.” Tell us something we don’t know…

Another day, another dreary story about Vancouver housing.

What happened: A report by the Chapman University of California looked at median house prices and income across 94 different cities, and Vancouver placed as the third most expensive in the world, according to Global. Toronto placed ninth, while Hong Kong and Sydney rounded first and second. 

• One piece of good news is that the report showed that housing affordability has improved in many markets in 2023. Unfortunately it’s still not back to pre-pandemic levels. 

Breaking it down: The designation of impossibly unaffordable applies “to markets with a median multiple triple or more the “affordable” standard.” Each region is given a score called a median multiple, which is the median house price divided by the median household income. Impossibly unaffordable regions have a score of 9.0 or over.

Chart

Metro Vancouver: The report shows a sharp increase in every single major region in BC, with Victoria rising from a median multiple of 6.9 to 9.8 and Vancouver from 10.8 to 12.3, from 2015 to 2023.

• The report also argues that higher home prices are associated with net domestic migration, with 444,000 people leaving expensive areas to other places in Canada. 

More good news?: Yes, but it’s mixed. BMO says in a report released on Tuesday that house prices could return to pre-pandemic levels… by 2027. According to CityNews, the report says that a combination of factors, like interest rates, stable house prices and rising incomes are all helping. 

But also bad: The Chapman University of California report argues that rising home prices, especially the land they sit on, poses an “existential risk” to the middle class. 

• Dig deeper: You can read the entire report here. 

In other news: Finding an affordable two-bedroom is extremely challenging. But a three-bedroom? Nearly impossible. CBC reported that Vancouver had no affordable three-bedroom units to rent back in October, and the average rental price is $3,775 per month. The reason there are so few is because it costs more to make them and developers mostly choose not to include them in buildings.

THE AGENDA

🎤 Public consultations for the Broadway Plan drew mixed reviews from the public. Some praised the new developments, while some renters expressed concerns about what would happen to them when their building was redeveloped. There will be two more open houses on June 20 at 4:30 at city hall, as well as the final one on June 26 at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House. [CTV]

⚖️ The BC Government and Providence Health are facing a lawsuit from the family of a patient who was forced to relocate to a different facility because St. Paul’s Hospital does not offer MAID, alleging her Charter rights were violated. Providence is a Catholic health organization. [CBC]

🏗️ After multiple fatalities at worksites due to construction crane safety, WorkSafeBC has released plans to address the problems, including a crane operator safety program and improved training. [CTV]

🧑‍🚒 The Downtown Eastside will soon have a temporary firehall at 722 Gore Ave. to deal with demand for services in the area. It will take up part of the public green space along Union and Gore and is intended to operate for 7-10 years. [Urbanized]

🏢 The province has bought the ICBC building in North Vancouver, which will be vacated in two years for the province to build new housing. The goal is to build hundreds of new housing units, and the province is working with First Nations on the plan. This is part of a $394-million fund to buy up and build 10,000 new homes in 10-15 years. [Vancouver Sun]

📷️ It will soon be easier to see if parking lots are full at Iona Beach and Boundary Bay. Metro Vancouver will show how full those parking lots are, making it easier for people to plan trips. [Urbanized]

🐶 As a dog owner, my heart breaks for this one. If you’re heading to Golden Ears Park, keep an eye out for Shampoo, a Goldendoodle who ran Saturday night after being startled by lightning. [Vancouver is Awesome]

ARTS

Theatre

Bard on the Beach’s Twelfth Night reinvites the tale with a female spin, featuring an actor known for her comedic experience. [Stir]

Vancity Culture Lab is hosting Medicine on June 23, a play exploring the mind of the protagonist who is mentally ill. [Stir]

Music

The VSO’s music-film collaboration shows include Shrek 2, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Fied of Dreams.

Foodstock is this weekend, a concert and brewery fun filled day on June 23. It’s at Swanguard Stadium and features musical performances from Yukon Blonde and the Matinee, Hausplants and Suppertime. [Vancouver Sun]

Movies 

VIFF has two series on this week, Africa Cinema Now movies celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Rio has a jam-packed week with indie sensation I Saw the TV Glow and classics like A Clockwork Orange and Spirited Away.

There’s opportunities to see some incredible directors over at Cinemateque with movies from the likes of Edward Yang, Yorgos Lanthimos, Jean-Luc Godard and Chantal Akerman. The Greek Film Festival also continues on until June 26.

Art

The Vancouver Art Gallery’s Offsite art space program is hosting works from American artist Hank Willis Thomas, featuring three stainless steel sculptures, located at 1100 West Georgia St. [Galleries West]

There are still a few days to see Prevailing Landscapes at the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art, an exhibit exploring Canadian landscapes and spaces.

The Queer Arts Festival continues until June 30 with multiple shows at locations throughout the region.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Review: Autostrada Osteria is everything you want in a neighbourhood restaurant

“I come here about 12 times a year.”

It’s not a phrase you hear often at a restaurant. But as I came to learn, this wasn’t any ordinary neighbourhood restaurant. 

I use the term neighbourhood intentionally. The word implies something different than a place to meet and eat. Is Savio Volpe a neighbourhood restaurant? St. Lawrence? All wonderful restaurants, situated in neighbourhoods, and extremely popular. 

And yet, to my mind, not quite. Neighbourhood restaurants are a singular place in the fabric of a community. A devoted spot to stop by with family and friends, revisiting food you love.

Price matters. It can be cheap or mid-priced, but never expensive. If you live nearby, you go often. If you’re lucky enough, names are exchanged, and you become that mythical “regular.” A neighbourhood evolves, and new spots come and go, but the neighbourhood restaurant persists. It’s a home next to your home. 

Autostrada Osteria, at 4811 Main St., is located deep south on Main, an area beyond where most people are willing to venture to spend an afternoon. Local grocery shops, small coffee shops, surrounded by Riley Park, you’re more likely to see children heading off to soccer practice than flocks of tourists. 

To read this restaurant review, and instantly subscribe to our food newsletter, click here.

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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Get ready for the biggest moon of the year on the summer solstice, June 21. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Looking to take your wine knowledge further? A complete newbie looking to explore new wines? Then Third Place Wine is for you. Get their free newsletter today. [Sponsored]

• The Stanley Park Train will be able to carry more people, which is good news if you have kids. [Urbanized]

• While you can’t swim, Kitsilano Pool concession stand will have a licensed pop-up this summer, with alcohol service from 12 pm-10 pm Friday to Sunday. [Straight]

• Pet owners rejoice Tsawwassen—Swartz Bay ferry is getting an outdoor dog and car area. [CityNews]

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VANCOUVER GUESSER

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