Saanich Council is engaging in all kinds of actions including triple digit increases to housing fees like DCC’s, putting market housing applications on the backburner behind govt projects, and may require developers (new homebuyers) pay for “inclusive” affordable housing. Yet council’s “Strategic Plan” neglected to fund the most important initiative for housing: eg “Develop a housing […]
CMHC’s latest numbers show overall -11% decline in housing starts ytd from 3256 Jan – Oct 2018 to 2896 Jan – Oct 2019 in the CRD. Major declines: Saanich-50%; Central Saanich -68%; Oak Bay-75%; View Royal -85%. Victoria Real Estate Board stats reveal the price of the core’s single detached homes increased in the past […]
To understand rising home prices, it’s important to appreciate that Canada is undergoing some of the fastest population growth in our history. Statistics Canada reports the country’s rate of growth is twice as fast as that of the U.S. and U.K. Canada’s population hit 37,589,262 on July 1, 2019, up 531,497 compared with July 1, […]
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 Autonomy; C18 Extension of Vacancy Tax; and resolutions C19 to C23 significantly increasing the ability to expand DCC […]
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 housing price index was down 1.2%. The decline […]
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 Transfer Tax, GST and more. For decades Saanich has had one of the most obstructive, costly […]
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 industrial space is at a 10 year low. Our economy is based on […]
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 amenities are established as basis for negotiation: •$5500 per single detached […]
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 council voted to require 20% of new condo units to be affordable rental. Of course the […]
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, disguising taxes as service fees, adding unnecessary costs and regulations like Step […]
Wed, Nov 20 – Builders Council at noon at VRBA office. Please RSVP at admin@vrba.ca.
Thurs, Dec 5 – Christmas Reception – 4:30 – 7 pm at VRBA office. No RSVP required.
Tues, Dec 10 – Builders Council at noon at VRBA office. Please RSVP at admin@vrba.ca.
Wed, Jan 15 – Crystal Ball Economic Forecast Luncheon – 11:30 am – 2 pm, Gorge Vale Golf Club. Please RSVP at admin@vrba.ca.
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