Government solutions to housing affordability crisis | Housing Matters | Vancouver Sun

Housing Matters host Stuart McNish speaks with Minister of Housing Selina Robinson, housing critic Sam Sullivan, and Vancouver Sun columnist Dan Fumano about how government can best intervene to find solutions to Metro Vancouver's housing affordability crisis.

[dashcan]

I applaud this Minister and the ideas they are putting into action. We need a new coalition to really put housing as the no.1 issue in the GTA and Ontario overall. I hope Ford listens to this.

[nataliyag]

There are a lot of Co-ops in Burnaby, BC which are subsidized from your packets !!!

[frenchbutter]

The idea of a "Golden Girls" (I am one.) type housing is a good one. In my area, large lots are zoned for duplex only. This means a 100+ y.o. house where the owner lives in one suite and rents out the other 4 suites can only be converted into 2 suites if it's redeveloped. (3 tenants would have to find alternative housing.) I don't need to live in 1500 sq. ft. When I recently spoke with the City about this they told me, "I'm ahead of my time." The City takes too long changing zoning and bylaws.

[Snowieandfrostie]

I remember having an argument, at the Coquitlam city hall, over 600sf condos in place of 800sf 2 beds condos with city council. The developer wanted to change the plan from mostly 2 bedroom condo units to 1 bedroom condos. The residents' desire to maintain more or less family oriented neighborhood was crushed by the Coquitlam city council who leaned towards the developer. The big money won. I was told that the developer makes a couple more millions dollars by building smaller units over 2 bedroom units.

[kenvandeburgt]

Toronto Housing ; Festering slums filled with generational welfare families. Government is not and should not be in the housing business.

I'd build megaplex in remote communities that need seasonal labor for picking apples etc. The land is cheaper to build on ... you can institute policies of he who will not work does not eat (notwithstanding clause is about physical ability to do labor) and no one has to stay there if they want to get a job in the big city.

[dashcan]

Speculators, Speculators, Speculators. How often do you have to say it.

[AlexM-wqin]

The anti-immigrant scapegoating is a distraction, the problem are NIMBYs and speculators (most of whom are Canadian). The provincial government needs to override the exclusionary zoning bylaws that exist at the municipal level, and institute a land value capture tax (i.e property tax excluding the value of improvements).

[thelostclock]

I am in awe how stupid the government is... even the people who have no idea why we have housing affordability crisis. Always blaming on immigration for some reason... FYI, with the money that I make HERE in Vancouver, I CAN afford a million dollar condo in downtown Vancouver easily. The government needs to focus on increasing the number of high paying jobs, not trying to tax everyone. ... Well, we have a finance minister who doesn't even a college degree. What can you expect...

[duongduong]

Black market from China if government doesn't give them

[brummytoo]

beggars can, t be choosers..if I was on the street I think I would jump on a 600 sq foot home...