A new approach to building social housing in Vancouver?

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Good morning,

I had the chance to visit a few bakeries this weekend as part of some upcoming restaurant reviews and I have to say this city punches above its weight for baked goods. Chocolate almond croissants, Swedish kanelbullens, homemade pop tarts… Were downright lucky. To see which ones I visited, you’ll have to subscribe to my our free Vancouver restaurant and drink review newsletter, which you can do here.

But enough about food. Today’s big story is all about a new approach to building social housing the city is taking, one that hopefully will result in more for those who need it most. And as usual, we’ve got a big list of events this weekend.

Let’s dive in.

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

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WEATHER

Friday: 17 🌡️ 11 | 🌥️

Saturday: 19 🌡️ 12 | 🌥️

Sunday: 17 🌡️ 13 | 🌧️

Monday: 19 🌡️ 13 | 🌧️

CITY HALL

A new approach to building social housing in Vancouver?

Politicians working together? To build more social housing? And reduce costs to build? Today’s top story may, in fact, be the rare case where almost everyone wins.

What happened: The city announced a new approach to building more non-market housing in Vancouver, allowing 6 to 18-storey buildings to be built without lengthy redevelopment applications in specific neighbourhoods, according to the city. 

The details: The image above outlines two types of areas where this new policy will occur. Neighbourhood Centres (purpose) will allow between 15-18 storeys, while Villages (yellow) will allow up to six storeys. Doing this will speed up development and save costs, as normal redevelopment applications can take up to a year to complete and cost around $500,000, according to the Vancouver Sun. On average, only 12 housing projects like this are approved each year. The hope is that speedier approvals means more housing. 

• Background: Policy debates certainly aren’t always the most congenial, but in this case, it was. Back in 2022, OneCity Coun. Christine Boyle introduced a motion to adopt a similar policy, with only slight changes from ABC Coun. Mike Klassen, which was then approved unanimously. Staff and councillours from all sides applauded Boyle’s motion, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

What is non-market housing: Sometimes readers email us about terms like this, so I thought I’d help define it for everyone. Non-market housing includes three types of housing — social, supportive and co-operative. These types of buildings are required to be owned by a non-profit or government, and units must be affordable for people with incomes below the Housing Income Limits. In many cases, low-cost loans, grants and government money enables these homes to be built and kept at low prices.

Opposition: While many groups are cheering the move, there are those who may oppose it. Social housing usually involves opposition from locals, expressing concerns about future residents who may have mental health conditions. Just do a Google search for social housing opposition, and you’ll read numerous stories about opposition in Vancouver. Without rezoning, a key part of the public’s ability to criticize the projects, namely public hearings, will be removed, but there will still be opportunities for public engagement. 

Next steps: The policy will still need to undergo normal city consultation processes. Public info sessions will be held on the following dates:

• Tuesday, October 1, 4:30-7:30 pm, Seniors Centre Multipurpose Room, Kerrisdale Community Centre (5851 West Boulevard)

• Wednesday, October 2, 6-7:30 pm Virtual Information Session

• Thursday, October 3, 4:30-7:30 pm, Room A, Croatian Cultural Centre (3250 Commercial Drive)

• Tuesday, October 8, 6:00-7:30 pm Virtual Information Session

Draft regulations will be delivered in November to January 2025, with a final vote in Q2 2025

Why this matters: Housing policy is complex, cumbersome process. Fixing it requires addressing every aspect of it. It also intuitively makes sense that affordable housing which provides a public good, rather than just the profit motive like normal developments, should be easier to implement. There is no reason redevelopment proposals for non-profit organizations looking to keep rents low should have the same process as for-profit developers. 

In other news: In a big announcement that I might have used as the main story had it not been done earlier in the day, the BC government and local First Nations are partnering through a unique financial arrangement for 2,600 housing units that can be purchased for 60% below market value, paid back over 25 years. The units are on First Nations land, specifically Heather Lands, and are leaseholds, which means after 99 years, the properties return to the First Nations. They also say there will be screening to stop house speculators from purchasing them. [Canadian Press]

• This could be a big deal, as one opinion columnist, Rob Shaw, is speculating, based on Eby’s announcement, that the program will be rolled out more widely. We will write about this program more on Monday and what it could mean for you.

SPONSORED BY VIFF

Go Behind the Scenes: Filmmaker Q&As at VIFF

The Vancouver International Film Festival returns September 26. VIFF's opening days feature a number of prominent Canadian and Indigenous filmmakers presenting their latest work.

Karen Chapman’s sensitive debut feature Village Keeper delves into the beauty of rediscovering life’s little joys in the wake of trauma. Karen joins VIFF for a Q&A on September 27 and 28.

Also on September 28, director Kazik Radwanski joins the screening of her propulsive, naturalistic film Matt and Mara, featuring terrific performances from Deragh Campbell and BlackBerry’s Matt Johnson.

On September 30 and October 1, hear from Sofia Bohdanowicz, director of Measures for a Funeral. The film follows a young academic (Deragh Campbell, again) who discovers a personal link to influential violinist Kathleen Parlow.

And So Surreal: Behind the Masks explores the astonishing connections between Yup’ik and Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw ceremonial masks and surrealist art. Directors Neil Diamond and Joanne Robertson will offer insights on September 29.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

👮 1,280: The number of liters of liquid methamphetamine sized by the CBSA at the Port of Vancouver that was hidden in a consignment of juice. [Vancouver Sun]

HOUSING

New study sheds light on impact of BC shorter term rental rules on rents

What happened: A new report makes the argument that the province’s short-term rental rules saved tenants across BC more than $600 million last year, according to CTV. The changes required that STRs are limited to principal residences only meaning that second homes that a person is not living in could not be rented out. 

The report says home prices have not been impacted, but rents have. In BC, it means rents have been reduced by 5.7% on average. In Vancouver, that means a savings of around $147 less each month. 

The chart above shows how the decrease in rents has affected different areas of Metro Vancouver, with a big impact concentrated in the city of Vancouver. 

• The number of frequently rented entire homes also dropped from April to May 2024, with 15.8% of those disappearing. 

Yes, but: As we’ve explained before, it’s always important to understand who is behind these types of reports. The study is currently undergoing a peer review at an academic journal, and is the first of its kind, using regression analysis to compare jurisdictions with and without the policy. The British Columbia Hotel Association commissioned the Urban Politics and Governance research group at McGill University to review BC’s communities and provide a summary of the results. 

• A spokesperson for Airbnb told the Vancouver Sun that reducing short-term rentals doesn't impact housing affordability, citing information from Statistics Canada. The study’s authors responded that many, many peer-reviewed studies have shown short-term rentals do increase housing costs. 

Political considerations: The BC NDP was quick to point out that BC Conservative leader John Rustad has promised to repeal the short-term rental restrictions, which would mean higher rents.

What it means: There is certainly an agenda for the hotel association to push this report. However, as noted by the researcher, data from around the world backs up this report. It will be worth monitoring if this issue becomes a political headache for the Conservatives in the upcoming election, as the NDP uses it as an attack to frame the party as detrimental to renters.

THE AGENDA

🚬 With more and more drug users inhaling drugs, there is now a new supervised inhalation room at 625 Powell St, the first of its kind in Vancouver. Each room has negative air pressure to keep fresh air coming in. Experts say it will help save lives, and the location of the facility means people can get other services or treatment for addiction nearby. [Global]

🛩️ Take out your laptop and liquids… It’s a normal request at airports. But that may be about to change at YVR and airports across the country. YVR now has CT scanners which will provide a 360 view of bags, meaning you will no longer have to remove items from your bag. Some have been installed and are operational as of Wednesday, while it will take a few more years to deploy them in airports across Canada. [CityNews]

🏒 Canucks forward Dakota Joshua shared he had treatment for testicular cancer this summer and said he will not be ready to participate in training camp as he takes time to recover. It was also announced Thatcher Demko would also miss training camp, but the team did not elaborate why and there is no timeline for his return to the team. [CTV]

💰️ A $10 billion dollar price tag has a way of making you rethink things… That’s apparently the case with Metro Vancouver, which is reconsidering its approach to the new $10 billion Iona sewage plant. They’ve asked the engineers to look at a phased replacement approach, including rehabilitation of the existing facility and secondary treatment modules. This comes after the $2.8 billion cost overrun for the North Shore wastewater treatment plant. So the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, don’t build a new treatment plant (okay, maybe that’s not exactly it). Prince George Post]

🏠️ Speaking of Metro Vancouver, local developers are teaming up to push back against the regional government’s proposed development cost charges. These fees help pay for infrastructure projects, but increase the cost of developments, essentially saddling future residents with the costs of infrastructure everyone benefits from. [Storeys]

📈 While most polling shows a very close provincial race, Premier David Eby holds the lead on a number of issues according to a recent poll. This includes healthcare, education, transportation projects and housing. On economic issues, he’s only slightly ahead. What is very interesting is that younger voters between 18-34 favour John Rustad’s BC Conservatives over Eby on many major issues. [Business in Vancouver]

EVENT GUIDE

Global Climate Strike | City Hall | Sept. 20, 1 pm | Come join people marching in support of dealing with climate change | Learn more

La La Land Coffee Tasting | 550 Clark Drive | Sept. 20, 5 pm-6 pm | A fun and informative coffee tasting session | By donation

Vancouver Tech & Finance Networking Event | 1141 Hamilton St. | Sept. 20, 10 pm-11:30 pm | Stylish tech networking event | Tickets $12

Kitsilano Marketplace Artisan Market | 2966 W 4th Ave | Thursdays to Sundays until Oct. 31 | An opportunity to check out some local artisans, listen to music, eat at some food trucks or enjoy the beer garden | Free admission

Vancouver International Flamenco Festival | Various locations | Now until Sept. 22 | Musical performances from around the world | Tickets

Brew at the Zoo | Greater Vancouver Zoo | Sept. 21, 5-8 pm | The first ever 19+ night at the zoo, featuring local breweries | Tickets $54

Rio Theatre movies | All weekend | Some really good ones on the dock, including horror movie Cuckoo, lauded coming-of-age Didi, cinematographically spectacular Strange Darling and the Vancouver Short Film Showcase | Various prices

Flavor Camp: Single Malt Tasting | 225 West 8th Ave | Sept. 21, 7:30 pm-9 pm | Get a multisensory tasting Whiskey experience, to compare and contrast different flavours | Tickets $43

Gabriel Iglesias: Don't Worry Be Fluffy | Rovers Arena | Sept. 21, 8 pm | Come see the popular comedian perform this weekend | Tickets $92

Steveston Beer Fest | The Gulf of Georgia Cannery | Sept. 21, 7 pm-9:30 pm | Over 100 different beers from BC, along with local restaurants serving up food | Tickets $85

Seven Samurai | Cinematheque | Sept. 21, 1:30 pm | I don’t usually highlight one movie here, but everyone deserves to see this masterpiece on the big screen | Tickets $14

Negroni Week | Various locations | Until Sept. 22 | Worldwide event, grab an iconic drink and some of the money from the drink goes to charity | Learn more

RESTAURANT REVIEW

You may discover Yume Dining is your new favourite lunch spot

I have a confession to make — I tend to avoid eating at too many Japanese restaurants in Vancouver, especially sushi spots.

I can hear the deep indrawn breath as you read that sentence. To be clear, you will not find a bigger fan of all things Japanese. The January I spent there was one of the most rewarding food and cultural experiences of my life.

No, my dislike comes from what tends to be over-Westernized, all-too-similar Japanese food, especially sushi. There are only so many rolls one can eat before it all starts blending together into a haze of sweet sauces, mediocre tuna and overly tacky rice. Vancouver punches above its weight, but distinction in a crowded space is hard unless you’re the best of the best.

Luckily a newer restaurant in Olympic Village, Yume Dining at 410 W 2nd Ave, breaks that mold by offering something somewhat more unique.

To read this review and instantly subscribe to our restaurant review newsletter covering the best restaurants in the city, click here.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Gibby’s Field is the city’s newest park, located in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage area and is 0.15 hectares. [City of Vancouver]

• If you see surfboards on this beach, it means there’s filming going on! [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Here are some of the latest new restaurants to open this fall. [Daily Hive]

• Here’s a handy list of all the upcoming Grey Cup events this November in the city. [Miss 604

• A documentary about local sushi chef Tojo will have two more screenings later this month. [Straight]

GAME TIME

Congrats to everyone Dawn and Gloria who both guessed the Vancouver Guesser location was Granville Bridge.

Today’s Vancouver Wordle is something in the newsletter. Can you guess it? Play it here.