Province steps in to enact vacancy control on new renters in SROs

Good morning,

I thought I had the formula figured out. I watched the Canucks game on Friday for the first time in a while and they lost. So I skipped the Sunday game (and by skipped, I mean I didn’t have time to watch it). Low and behold, they won. 

So, according to karma, I thought they might win if I skipped yesterday’s game. Sadly that wasn’t the case and the team lost 3-2.

Superstitions are a fickle. The lesson? Just enjoy the games!

Today we have news about the province intervening to change rent increases for SROs and an update on outdoor pools.

Let’s dive in (to the newsletter, not the pool).

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

WEATHER

Wednesday: 20 🌡️ 12 | ⛅

Thursday: 18 🌡️ 8 | ☀️

Friday: 17 🌡️ 9 | ☀️

HOUSING

Province steps in to enact vacancy control on new renters in SROs

What happened: After losing a court case to limit rent increases for new tenants at SROs after a tenant leaves, the province is stepping in to enact legislation that will enshrine vacancy control for these units, according to the Globe and Mail.

Background: In 2021 the city introduced vacancy control on SRO units, in order to prevent rising costs. Vacancy control ties the rent price to a unit rather than the tenant. SROs operated similarly to normal rental units, where rental prices could be increased on a unit after a tenant left. 

Some estimates say SRO rents have increased by 21% in the last few years, impacting about 900 units, making them unaffordable for low-income people. Two private SRO operators took the city to court and won, striking down the bylaw — the courts ruled the city overreached its authority, since the properties were regulated by the Provincial Tenancy Act, according to CBC. 

• How it works: Tenancy control means that rents cannot be increased after a tenant leaves. Normal rental units in Vancouver can have their rent increased after a tenant leaves, but must abide by the province’s yearly rental increase amount. 

The city supported the move, noting that this law helps prevent evictions, as unit operators try to increase rental prices by evicting tenants. 

• Numbers: There are 6,500 SRO spaces in Vancouver, with around 48% being privately owned and the rest run by nonprofits, the city, and the provincial government, according to CBC. 

What it shows: The court case, and the province’s subsequent action, continue to show how cities are creatures of the province. When thinking about the problems a city faces, it’s worth remembering that in many cases the province has tools to help or fix it. This is one example of housing where the province and the city are in lockstep agreement.

Other rentals?: Ha, don’t count on it. The province noted they have no plans to enact vacancy controls anywhere else in the province.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

💰️ 900,000: The number of Canadians that could get a payout from the LifeLabs class-action lawsuit from their 2019 cyberattack. Bad news though — it’s only worth $7.86 per person. [CityNews]

📉 $175 million: How much Burnaby got from developers through the community amenity development fee. They were expecting $237 million. It raises questions about how to fund existing development, whether it should just be developers and in reality, future residents after developers pass on the costs, or current residents through property taxes. [Western Investor]

🏒 600: The number of people who came out for the city’s first Canucks public viewing party at  Oak Meadows Park, with neighbours and the city declaring it a success. [Global]

👎️ $1.3 billion: How much taxes BC’s real estate industry owes according to the CRA, five times more than Ontario. [Vancouver Sun]

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PARKS

Pool season officially begins, with some delays

While summer feels like it’s already here, in my mind it doesn’t officially start until the outdoor pools open. Luckily it’s right around the corner!

What happened: The city announced that they will open two outdoor pools on Saturday. Noticeably absent from the announcement was Kitsilano Pool, which has no timeline on reopening, according to the city. Beaches will also be staffed with lifeguards. 

The details: New Brighton and Second Beach will both be open. Concession stands will also be open, which you can order at the kiosk or online with the VanEats app. 

• For the kids: Wading pools will not open in June, but instead start on July 1.

Delays: The ever-popular Kitsilano Pool was undergoing repairs to fix a leak that caused 30,000 litres of water per hour to escape, according to CBC. The pool is more than 50 years old and is nearing the end of its lifespan. The city hopes to open it early in June.

Don’t forget: There are a limited number of drop-ins available, but you can book the outdoor pools up to three days in advance starting today. You can make your reservation here.

THE AGENDA

🏘️ In another story of Vancouver just not building enough housing, the city is supposed to have built 1,500 below-market rentals by Sept. 30 as per the provincial housing targets. But as of now, only 11 have been built. Housing providers say there isn’t enough money to achieve that target, and that the province needs to invest more money to get them built. The city is below every single target the province has set. [Vancouver Sun]

🔥 The Stanley Park Causeway was shut down on Tuesday morning from a fire from a cigarette butt. Smoke was noticed in the area at 5 am. [CityNews]

🎲 The ABC majority voted in favour this week to end the moratorium on gambling expansion, increasing the number of slot machines at Parq Casino and Hastings Racecourse. The moratorium still prevents new casinos from being built. One ABC councillor, Sarah Kirby-Yung, voted against it, along with other non-ABC councillors. [CTV]

🐕️ Dog owners are raising concerns that the school board is barring dogs from using Sir Charles Tupper Secondary’s north field even though there are signs that say they’re allowed to. The school board says they reserve the right to limit access if the fields are being damaged. The field was the closest in the area for dog owners, with the next closest option two kilometres away. [Vancouver Sun]

🌉 Heads up — the Pattullo Bridge will be shut down to traffic on the northbound traffic side from May 17-18 from 9 pm to 5 am for construction. Pedestrians and cyclists can still use it. [CityNews]

FOOD PREVIEW

The best Chinese food courts in Metro Vancouver ranked

As a kid, I always loved a quick trip to the food court. A&W, New York Fries, Orange Julius, it had everything a kid could want. But as you get older and expand your food palette, you quickly realize most Westernized food courts are, to put it lightly, a representation of everything Western food does poorly.

That childhood joy doesn’t need to disappear. Food courts in Metro Vancouver, specifically Chinese ones, will fill you with the same excitement you had as a child. 

In the last year, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many of these food courts, mostly in Richmond and almost all Chinese. For anyone who doesn’t speak English, or is maybe a little too used to Western malls, the whole experience can be a little confusing. Which stall should you try? What do you order? How do you tell what’s good and bad?

There are very few resources online. Which is a shame. These food courts represent the vibrancy of Vancouver’s diverse culinary scene, a collection of Chinese and other food establishments, unparalleled in North America, all concentrated in a small area, at an affordable price that’s hard to imagine in this era of spiralling food costs. 

To read this story and instantly subscribe to our newsletter reviewing the best food spots in the city, click here

PHOTO OF THE DAY

I love sea lions, so it’s a real pleasure to share this photo from Stanley Park on May 13!

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• What is Makgeolli, why you should drink it and where you can buy it in Vancouver. [Vancity Lookout]

• Tired of drowning in science news? Dive into The Aurorean! Their weekly briefing scours 100+ sources to bring you the juiciest bits of science news every Wednesday. Stay ahead of the curve—subscribe now for free! 🔬 [Sponsored]

• If you’re travelling to Washington or anywhere in U.S. with your dog, be aware of the new requirements you’ll need. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Playland is opening up this Friday. That is all. 

• Good news for artists — the new cultural hub has opened at 825 Pacific. [City of Vancouver]

• This is a wonderful profile of the family behind Duffin’s Donuts. [Straight]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

GAME TIME

Today’s Vancouver Guesser is a road — can you name which one this is?

Reply with your name and the correct answer to be featured in the next newsletter!