Building & Industry News
High Housing Costs Linked to UBCM Policies
UBCM's focus on local municipal autonomy influencing provincial policy, is significantly responsible for a lack of regional planning, poor infrastructure like LRT, and unaffordable housing. The resolutions this week at their convention in Vancouver include B3 Local...
West Coast Living at its Finest
The 2019 CARE Awards Finalists have been announced and the Gold winners will be revealed this week at the CARE Awards gala on Saturday, Sept 21 at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. They represent Canada’s leaders in sustainable West Coast design and construction showcasing...
Prices Decline, Rezonings Necessary to Maintain Supply
Issue 19-128 Price of New Housing BC Stats August 9, 2019 Relative to the same month of 2018, the cost of new housing in B.C.’s three largest cities continued to decline in June of 2019. Home builders in Victoria received 1.8% less for their projects, and Vancouver’s...
Saanich Proposal Adds More Costs to Market Housing
On Monday, August 12, Saanich proposes to futher encumber market housing projects by sending them to the back of the line over government funded and/or subsidized projects. These projects are subsidized by market housing via housing affordability funds, Property...
West Coast Living at its Finest
2019 CARE Awards Finalists have been announced! For all of the details visit www.careawards.ca You can vote for your favourite project starting August 26 to Sept 8 at Hillside Centre during the People's Choice Award Contest. Voters may also view the projects and...
Housing Supply Must Be Encouraged
The Times Colonist reports construction is the second largest employer on Vancouver Island. This is due to ongoing population growth expected to surpass 500,000 in the central island alone in the next 10 years. Victoria’s office vacancy rate is declining and vacant...
Town of View Royal Adds to Housing Costs
The Town of View Royal has decided to up the ante using new housing as a cash machine for their revenue. Their Committee of the Whole recommended adopting a community amenity contribution policy that says: "1.9 Target Rates The following target rates for cash...
Reno Tax Credit Needed for Seismic Safety
Recently there has been significant seismic activity along BC’s west coast. Three earthquakes registering between 4.5 and 5.6 magnitude were detected, in addition to a 6.2 earthquake the day before. A series of large earthquakes in Southern California also resulted in...
Municipal Policies Rooted in Appropriating Private Property
The appropriation of private property is becoming a favourite tool of local politicians demonstrating to the public their concern about housing affordability, the environment and a variety of other hot issues that they have mostly mismanaged. For example, Victoria...
180% Saanich DCC Increase Treats Homebuyers as Cash Machine
Through DCC's, new homebuyers shouldered the cost for purchasing 31.4 acres of Blenkinsop park land. Of course, there was never any mention of the source of the funds. Saanich treats new homebuyers as cash machines evidenced by a recent 180% increase to DCC's,...