Taxes, advertising, fees: How the parks board plans to generate more revenue

Good morning,

I had a lovely time camping this weekend, and I have to say my legs are still sore. Backpacking is fun when you’re out there, but painful when you’re back. A big thanks to Robert who wrote the newsletter while I was gone. A big team effort!

In today’s newsletter, we’ve got:

• The parks board’s plan to raise revenue and what it means for you 🌳

• Port workers back on strike 🪧

• What’s going on in the arts community this week 🎨

Let’s get to it!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout writer

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 29 🌡️ 17 | ☀️

Thursday: 29 🌡️ 16 | ⛅

Friday: 26 🌡️ 16 | ⛅

CITY HALL

Cha-ching goes the parks board

How to balance the need for increased revenue while also maintaining Vancouver’s unique parks system is on the table as Vancouver’s parks board weighs ways to increase revenues.

What happened: Council was presented with and approved a report on strategies to increase revenue for Vancouver’s parks at a Monday meeting. The report breaks down both taxes and non-tax strategies.

Background: The report is a culmination of a vote seven months ago that asked staff to look at ways to generate more revenue, and was unanimously approved by the board, according to CTV earlier this year.

• The park board generated $56.8 million in revenue and has budgeted $71.1 million in 2023. The city takes in less tax-funded revenue compared to other jurisdictions, with only 54 percent coming from taxes, compared to 67 percent in neighbouring Surrey and 90 percent in New York.

Breaking it down: The report is dense but argues Vancouver does not generate enough revenue from traditional sources compared to other municipalities and cities. A survey of staff generated seven different options for generating revenue, ranked from most effective to least effective:

1. Increase fees and charges;

2. Develop a Park Board product line;

3. Create & promote fundraising and donation opportunities;

4. Create new services;

5. Partner with private organizations;

6. Pursue sponsorship opportunities;

7. And expand special events and commercial opportunities.

What it means: There are many options that would affect both residents and businesses. More liquor sales and concessions and food sales, an infrastructure fee, letting sports leagues play later by installing lights in places like baseball diamonds, more advertising and sponsorships, and expanding the special events policy, are all on the table according to CTV.

Criticism: One Twitter user noted, rightfully, that the plan did not really consult the public, and instead stayed focused on staff and a small number of stakeholders. There is also concern about chain restaurants on the beaches.

Lookout’s thoughts: Many of the policies outlined are quite logical. Some of my best memories of living in Toronto were playing baseball in the evening with lighted fields. Expanding policies like that makes sense.

• Using tax dollars for public parks and institutions that locals actually interact with positively is likely an easier sell than other uses of tax dollars. It’s something people can materially interact with and improves Vancouver residents’ quality of life. Better beaches are tangible and enjoyable.

But…: Will ABC be interested in raising taxes again after such a massive hike, including the potential for a nine percent increase over the next five years?

Dig deeper: Fancy yourself a parks expert? Interested in the minutia of city reports? YOu can read the entire “Think Big — Revenue Strategy” report here.

VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS

✈️ 7 million: It may look like a big number, but it’s tough news for YVR. That’s the number of people expected through the airport this summer, which is down from 7.5 million that trafficked through the airport in the summer of 2019. [Business in Vancouver]

🔥 370: The number of fires across the province. The province will soon surpass all of 2018 for the amount of area burned, and it’s only July…. [Vancouver is Awesome]

📉 2.8%: The national inflation rate fell to this level in June, led by drops in gasoline prices and telecom services. It’s not clear yet whether the dip will hold, because the drop is so reliant on items, particularly fuel, with volatile prices. [CBC]

LABOUR

Strike two: Return of the port strike

What happened: In a decision that surprised most observers, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 502 (ILWU) rejected the proposed contract which was tentatively agreed upon back on July 13, according to CityNews. To be more specific, the agreement was rejected by the internal caucus leadership of the ILWU.

Breaking it down: The ILWU said the agreement did not deal with cost of living issues nor the potential for future job losses.

“With the record profits that the BCMEA’s member companies have earned over the last few years the employers have not addressed the cost of living issues that our workers have faced over the last couple of years as all workers have,” the union said.

• The BC Maritime Employers Association criticized the union, claiming the strike would impact Canadian jobs and cost the country a billion dollars every day.

What the deal included: According to a leak of the proposal that was sent to the Globe and Mail, the potential deal included a 19.2 percent wage increase over four years, along with a signing bonus and more money towards the retirement fund. Cost of living wage increases were a key issue identified by the union, along with automation and job security.

Reading between the lines: The leaked details of the deal do not appear to address the key concerns over job losses. For example, at the Delta Port, technological changes and automation means 50 percent of workers could lose their jobs, which will have spillover effects throughout B.C. ports, according to the Globe and Mail.

What’s next: Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan tweeted out late last night that while they respect collective bargaining, all options are on the table to get the ports open.

What it could mean: The Liberals have talked a lot about respecting the rights of workers to bargain, but this seems to indicate they could force workers back to work. Keep an eye out tomorrow morning for more details.

DREAM HOME

After the super expensive home I shared last week, many of you asked for homes that people could actually afford. Fair enough!

So in that spirit, I’m going to include a couple of homes in this section, one that’s more affordable and one that’s a little more pricey but is an example of a place you might call a dream home for a family.

I was inspired to stay with Mount Pleasant after my friend mentioned he was moving to the neighbourhood.

Vancouver affordable

I was shocked there was a two-bedroom for under $700,000, but this one hit all the notes. This apartment features a loft, a new kitchen, is pet friendly and is in a great location. For those of us who are budget-conscious, this is worth checking out.

Unaffordable but attainable

I’m always fascinated by the lack of three-bedroom apartments in the city. How is anyone expected to start a family with only two rooms? That’s why this place on Fraser Street stood out to me.

With three bedrooms and (wow!) three bathrooms, this place can hold your growing family. The place includes a beautiful kitchen, a large patio and easy access to transit. And at 1,682 square feet, the space is big enough to accommodate those little kids.

It’s not cheap, but compared to other places, it’s not bad!

THE AGENDA

🏢 The sale of a downtown Vancouver commercial building, one that houses Amazon, has experts worried about a ripple effect of real estate sales, with a low price indicating a softening real estate market. [Financial Post]

👮 Delta’s Police Chief Const. Neil Dubord has written an open letter attacking the province’s approach to drug decriminalization as ineffective. He says the policy has not resulted in fewer drug overdose deaths. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🚲 Electric bikes? Yes! Electric unicycles? Nope. Even as cities embrace alternative forms of transportation, the B.C. government continues to ban those one-wheeled devices, with $600 tickets for driving without insurance. [Daily Hive]

💉 An after-hours overdose prevention site has opened in the Downtown Eastside from 11 pm to 7 am at Pigeon Park. They had asked Vancouver Coastal Health to open a 24-hour location but never received a response. [CTV]

💰 In an effort to increase and diversify revenue channels, TransLink is growing the number of retail spaces it offers at its transit hubs. [Business in Vancouver]

🌲 Sad news for tree lovers. A Western red cedar tree in Stanley Park that’s estimated to have been between 800 to 900 years old fell this weekend. [CBC]

🔒 Don’t expect to visit the Railway Club anytime soon. The popular music spot is closing again after it was served notice. The venue is owned by Freehouse Collective — previously the Donnelly Group — which is seeking creditor protection. [Vancouver Sun]

🔥 A city councillor who smelled smoke and proceeded to investigate is credited with stopping a fire on Baden Powell Trail in North Vancouver before it got out of control. The fire is now considered held and poses no risk to the public. [CTV]

🏨 If you’ve got friends or family members staying at the Hyatt Regency, Westin Bayshore and Pinnacle Harbourfront, be aware they could be on strike soon as workers voted to authorize the job action. [Vancouver is Awesome]

ARTS

Theatre

Theatre Under the Stars has a hit with Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, according to Stir, with “high-level production values” and a “remarkably talented” cast. Read the review here. [Stir]

And their other production The Prom is also garnering rave reviews, full of “delightful, energetic young performers.” Tickets for both can be bought online. [Vancouver Sun]

Music

Come learn how to dye indigo linens and sing Salish songs as part of the Create! Arts Festival July 22 and 23 at Strathcona Park, amongst many other activities. [Stir]

Movies

Over at VIFF, you can enjoy the 80s classics Once Upon a Time in America and The Blues Brothers tonight, two seminal movies of the area...

And then head over to Rio to catch the 50th Anniversary of both Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and Bruce Lee’s action epic Enter the Dragon on Thursday.

Art

New public art exhibits around Vancouver feature tombstones from recycled tents, titled Nowhere Left to Rest, designed to build attention and awareness about decamping. [Vancouver is Awesome]

The Neighbourhood Matching Fund announced 23 projects who will receive awards of up to $10,000 to build creative projects through parks and public areas. [City of Vancouver]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• I am loving these deep-dive sandwich reviews on Reddit. User VandwichCommentary reviewed the Carvery and had good things to say about it! [Reddit]

• It hardly should be called the Northern Lights if you can see it from Vancouver. Be on the lookout (pun intended) this week as they might appear. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Fancy yourself a music fan? Consider applying to Vancouver’s Music Task Force. [City of Vancouver]

• Here’s why you may see more dogs at Vancouver General Hospital. [Global]

• There are lots of great round trips available from YVR right now. [Daily Hive]

GAME TIME

This intersection is well known as a dangerous spot for pedestrians. Can you name today’s VancouverGuesser?

The first five people to reply with the correct (or close enough) location, will have their names mentioned in the newsletter.