BC, opinion, politics, prices

Ask David Eby anything at noon today

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112 Comments

David Eby is definitely one of the most vocal politicians in Vancouver when it comes to issues around housing.

Have you ever wanted to ask him a question?

Now’s your chance. Eby will be hosting an ‘ask me anything’ thread on reddit today at noon (June 22nd)

His first comment on that thread:

I’m looking forward to it. A bit nervous, I’m expecting challenging questions on this important issue. I’ll do my best to answer, or to find the answers for you. I’m also interested to hear suggestions for policy opportunities and what you think needs to be done to respond to the housing crisis. See you then!

Let us know in the comments below if you spot anything note-worthy.

David Eby AMA June 22nd 12pm on Reddit.

 

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BubbleTea

Todays CNN Report: China still harvesting organs from prisoners at a massive scale.
China is still engaged in the widespread and systematic harvesting of organs from prisoners, and says that people whose views conflict with the ruling Chinese Communist Party are being murdered for their organs.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/23/asia/china-organ-harvesting/

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Combat roach

Wait for the spaceshit to tell you how is that alright and how Canada and US do the same but use different terminology. Moron…

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southseacompany

“Poloz Should Be on Guard With Fed Set to Raise, Scotiabank Says”, Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-23/poloz-should-be-on-guard-with-fed-set-to-raise-scotiabank-says

“The U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates as many as six times over the next 18 months and the Bank of Canada should be getting ready with increases of its own, Bank of Nova Scotia Chief Economist Jean-Francois Perrault said.”

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southseacompany

“Sure, study the market, but interest rates are central to the housing boom”, Globe & Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/sure-study-the-market-but-interest-rates-are-central-to-the-housing-boom/article30573239/

“I certainly approve of the government looking into this issue, but I hope they look at some factors that are usually omitted from this discussion. Most importantly, the role that interest rates play is a huge and underappreciated factor in the housing boom. Too many observers make the fundamental mistake of ignoring this. They look at the cost of homes, but very few people open their wallets and pay the cost of the home – they pay their mortgage.”

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southseacompany

“Ottawa creates working group to study Canada’s booming housing markets”, Financial Post
http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/bill-morneau-hints-at-more-steps-to-slow-housing-market

” The Finance Minister announced Thursday that he is putting together a working group of officials to study the state of Canada’s housing market and make recommendations about what should be done to ensure stability.”

(Read ”ensure this baby doesn’t bust”)

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ostritch

Ya. And they’re ensuring that by studying the state of the market rather than the state of that f-ing 10-yr visa. Wait until the Saudis hit this market.

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Funkey monkey

Just one bid on that Victoria Manson.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/victoria-bc-real-estate-live-auction-1.3648596

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OPENHOUSEMASSACRE

“There was white people partying every day and doing drugs, that guy couldn’t communicate with him,the owner said maybe just find Asian people so he can talk to them.”
————–This guy owns a home and signed document in English to buy a property in Canada ,but it is hard for him to say stop doing drugs in my home if u do that u will be kicked out.what a BS story to cover his discriminatory and racist behavior .
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/4pg54x/landlord_under_fire_for_asian_only_rental_ad_ctv/

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ostritch

Wow. Reddit. That’ll teach him.

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space889

Ever tried to kick out a tenant who knows how to game the system? Say goodbye to at least 6 months rent and have fun with the potential tens of thousands of damages.

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patriotz

Surprise, surprise. And note they didn’t disclose either the bid or the reserve prices.

It was just a publicity stunt for the listing.

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patriotz

Morneau seeks ‘co-ordinated approach’ to assess housing market

In a news release issued in conjunction with a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto, Mr. Morneau said the group would include officials from the federal government, the Ontario and British Columbia provincial governments, and the cities of Vancouver and Toronto – the two markets that are in the grips of a housing boom.

Clearly the feds are wary of acting unilaterally. But of the parties mentioned above, only Robertson is even acknowledging that high prices are a problem that warrants action. Likely outcome is no consensus to do anything.

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

They’ve got to be on the ground in Vancouver and not meeting in an office somewhere the entire time. Yes, there are statistics and graphs they must study and understand the analysis of, but they also need to be on the ground, looking around. If they would like, I will take them on some walking tours. Happy to do it guys; I’m not a salesman and not a politician. Please avoid going on a tour with a real estate agent.

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would-be buyer

Looks like T2 doesn’t want to do anything – he’s taken a page out of Crusty’s “we’ll study it” playbook:

http://www.bnn.ca/News/2016/6/23/Canada-creates-working-group-to-study-booming-housing-market.aspx

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wwwww

How to park your Porsche In Vancouver

https://youtu.be/TwZwSIrMLmk

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OPENHOUSEMASSACRE

Realtors under investigation for lack of disclosure

http://globalnews.ca/news/2778584/couple-who-urged-langley-homeowners-to-sell-fail-to-mention-theyre-realtors/

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Combat roach

When greedy locust hits the wall, set up by their homies…

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/alta-couple-sues-over-purchase-of-3m-langley-home-with-medicinal-grow-op

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space889

Right, cuz if you found you bought grow up and the seller hid that fact from you, you are totally fine with it. Just roll with it right?

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

They’re plants. Just uproot them. Sheesh.

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

Vancouver, Toronto markets drive decline in housing affordability: RBC http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rbc-housing-affordability-1.3647686 From the article: “RBC said owning a single-detached home at market prices has “become out of reach for all but just a minority of higher-income households.”” Note that Toronto and Vancouver are the only major cities in the country with green belts (along with Ottawa), and they’ve been making headlines as the two cities with the greatest increase in SFH prices lately. Ottawa’s green belt hasn’t mattered much because it’s so narrow that residents have taken to living just outside it in places like Kanata and Orleans. Like I said: -ALR -Population growth -Affordable detached houses Choose any 2. And despite what Tom thinks, for the record I’m not committed to abolishing the ALR. I’m just pointing out that it’s impossible to have all 3 of the above at the… Read more »

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Oracle

Space:

Can you comment on this story. I have been receiving anedotal reports that many residents of Richmond and Vancouver go get organs from murdered people for their health benefit. Is this true?

Especially with the mentality that money can buy anything, I find this disturbing.

Can you comment?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/report-alleges-china-killing-thousands-of-prisoners-to-harvest-organs/article30559415/?service=mobile

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Best place on meth

“Authors David Matas, David Kilgour and Ethan Gutmann have over the past decade published evidence that China is using Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetans and Christians as a pool for human-tissue extraction.”

I told you, that shithole should have been nuked in 1950.

Now these scumbag commies are living in Vancouver in staggering numbers.

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Madashell

In Chinese prisons, the prisoners blood type is on record. When the medical tourism hospital sent them a blood match, they instantly execute and extract the organ from the prisoners for the transplant. What a fucking country.

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space889

And you know that because??? I didn’t know you had first hand experience with Chinese prison.

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vangrl

jaysus…that story is crazy

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space889

The article itself seems pretty balanced with Western experts casting doubts on the report.

Regardless, even it is 100% true, the organs come from prison populations which are mostly criminals, and there are a lot violent criminals on death row in China. So yes bad, but in the spectrum of bad things in the world, nowhere near the worst. Certainly a lot better than the constant automatic blanket opt-in proposal for organ donation being proposed in this country / province, which may have already been passed.

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Tim

No it isn’t comparable in the slightest.

Automatic opt-in occurs for people who die by accident or natural causes.

China executes people. And those people are very often not criminals, but political prisoners.

“in the spectrum of bad things in the world, nowhere near the worst”

Sorry, it’s right up there with the worst things in the world.

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done like taost

After saying for the last bunch of years that ‘there is no problem with Mainland money buying the city and deferring to Rennie who suggested a flipping tax! suddenly Robertson has seen the light and wants to tax these empty houses for what they are a method of money laundering.

Too late Gregor the horse has bolted while you reassured us and then the best you could do was a suggest a flipper’s tax ? They don’t flip. they buy and leave empty.

Then you bleated that Christy and the feds should do something.

it’s your f’ing city , take ownership, do something you enabler!

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

It is urgent.

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space889

CoV can decide its own immigration policy? tax policy? really? Wow….

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paulb

New
284
Sold
265

TI:8584

http://www.paulboenisch.com

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Hyper-mega-Bull

Landlord under fire for ‘Asian only’ rental ad

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/landlord-under-fire-for-asian-only-rental-ad-1.2957829

Hahahahaha!

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vangrl

It’ll only get worse. And forget about owning a dog.

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patriotz

Tenants in BC have never had the right to own pets. Human rights are for humans.

What I find bizarre is that “experts” are saying putting discrimination in the ad is legal as long as the landlord doesn’t act on it. I guarantee you that if the ad had said “whites only” Christy would call an all night sitting to fix the loophole.

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Ulsterman

I agree. When asians are a significant majority, they’ll be emboldened to do this more and more. Few concessions will be given.

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

I think it’s already done in hiring, in some of the coffee shops that get traded to new owners from abroad every couple of years.

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OPENHOUSEMASSACRE

They will definitely be allowing dog, where else they are going get their meat from ?

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space889

And Calgary Stampede mass slaughter and consumption of beef is all fine and dainty to all the Hindus that worship cow / bulls as a deity?
Or how about an all pork BBQ party for devout muslims?
Or how about horse meat which Canada is 2nd largest exporter in the World apparently.

Get off your righteous high horse, and don’t hit any BBQ restaurants in Korea. But by all means, go hit a nice high end sushi place in Japan where they will slice a live fish / turtle for your sashimi and show you the still living head at the end of the meal.

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Tim

None of those involve beating the animal to death or boiling it alive, or otherwise purposely stressing it to get a certain flavour.

IMHO as long as a dog is your property, and you kill it humanely, eating it is not problematic.

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Oracle

You Caucasians just wait until they have the majority.

Just wait.

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Tim

So the estimate of organlegging in China is up to 1.5 million people murdered and sold for parts over the last decade or so. Scaled for population, we can expect, what 3000 people here? Seems like a lot.

The best defense might be a hepatitis infection. Time to get working on those drunken, hard-partying dirty white people stereotypes.

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Combat roach

Not so funny, it is well known tactic in Ethnic Cleansing strategy. Ask Balkans and Kurds…

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Best place on meth

Apparantly this racist only did it because his last tenants were white and they partied and did drugs.

Because all white people party and do drugs.

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space889

Yes, just like all mainland Chinese are rich scumbag locusts….

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

If this kind of discrimination is not stopped in the bud it will get worse. What’s that about Canada valuing diversity?

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space889

I don’t know…look in the mirror. I’m certainly not learning anything about diversity from bears. I’m certainly learning a lot about stereotyping and why it is a good thing, why racism is not really racism, it’s fine to totally treat people as vermins if I don’t agree with anything a minority of the group do, etc, etc.

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

I wish someone could convince her and the people around her how serious this is, and how unfair.

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patriotz

She’s knows it’s serious all right – her economic strategy is based on continually rising RE prices and she has said so. As for fairness, in politics what benefits your friends and allies is fair.

If you don’t like it, you know what you can do about it.

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

O.K. I know that a politician is not a justice of the peace. Still, there are some duties of care owed to all British Columbians that come with the title of the office and also obligations to the public at large that come with being paid by the public purse.

If the premier claims to be serving British Columbians then that is something that can only be done with an eye to fairness, otherwise the word “serve” is a joke; if the premier claims to be a leader that is something that can only be done by having enough vision to see beyond the self-interested goals of her immediate circle.

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space889

Did you pay her campaign contribution, or planning to maybe buy 100K copies of her autobiography? No? Yeah, guess what? As far as Christy is concerned, you & rest of your entitle bear bands can just f-off.

You think there are any politicians that doesn’t serve their financial backers & allies first and foremost? Give your empty head a shake and listen to that tiny rattling sound made by your walnut sized brain.

And no Patriotz, voting them out of power is not really a good answer since they can do so much damage in their 4 years in office, and it’s not like their replacements would be any better.

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HAMster

Christy and Co. are so out of touch with reality that they fiddle while Rome burns. The NDP can leverage this housing issue into a win if they play it right.

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space889

By telling a good chunk of voting populations that they must accept a reduction in their hard earned home equity that in most cases are their sole source of retirement funds and likely equal to decades of working income?? Yeah, that’s definitely an election winning strategy.

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Best place on meth

“hard earned home equity”

Hard earned? What the fuck are you talking about?

Never mind, piss off.

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space889

Coming from someone who doesn’t own…oblivious to real world realities.

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would-be buyer

I wish the government would back my hard earned stock equity. I am counting on that for my retirement and if the stock market crashes, heads will roll. Oh, wait…

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space889

When 50%+ of voting population have a few hundred grand to tens of millions of $$$ in stocks then yes, perhaps gov’t will do something about it. However, since most people don’t even have $100K in stocks, it’s a non-issue for gov’t.

Well, except for the central banks that serves the 1% and Wall Street and they have been pumping up the stock markets to no end. But they don’t face elections either.

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CanNeverThinkOfAGoodName

I wish the government would have backed my actually hard earned life’s labor it’s-in-the-bank equity. But it didn’t; it chose to blow bubbles instead.

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wwwww

Renewed push for Vancouver Island to form its own province

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6kfhRuqpXk

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Best place on meth

Would make more sense for Richmond to become its own province.

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Reasonfirst

Apparently CC’s response was that they won’t be able get an LNG $s. Haha.

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OPENHOUSEMASSACRE

309-557 E Cordova Street

SOLD 2013 – $ 503,000

ON SALE – $ 900,000

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StupidityCheck

Ask Eby why we do business with these scumbags. #locusts #commiescum #spacetoolisaloser #chinasucks

http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/glavin-chinas-harvest-of-human-organs-tells-us-what-we-need-to-know-about-human-rights

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space889

Are we having automatic organ donation by default? How’s is that radically different from organ harvesting you are accusing China of?

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Combat roach

Who are WE? Whose behalf do you speak?

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space889

BC is contemplating automatic organ donor consent, unless you explicitly opt out. That might have already been passed. So if you don’t know such legislation exists, or just too lazy then your organs can be donated upon death without your actual consent, or your surviving next of kin’s consent.

But I’m sure you are fine with that, right? Not having explicit consent is totally the right thing to do, right?

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Tim

Uhm, it’s different because we don’t jail thousands of people whose political positions or spirituality we don’t like, and then murder them when their organs are required?

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Best place on meth

What the fuck are you babbling about now?

Never mind, fuck off commie.

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Tim

There is no “accusing”. There’s a ton of evidence. They did it.

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BubbleTea

The ‘Inevitable War’ Between the U.S. and China
http://www.newsweek.com/south-china-sea-war-nuclear-submarines-china-united-states-barack-obama-xi-473428

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Best place on meth

Best to get this over with ASAP.

Team with Japan for quicker victory.

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Combat roach

World’s economy needs an “old school restart”, some places an absolute locust disinsection and some ideology disinfection. Overall quite progressive…

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Madashell

China is no friend. China has been stealing military technologies and building up their army so they can counter the Americans soon. They have also been stealing industrial technologies, deeply subsidize their manufacturing companies, and manipulate their yen so they can steal jobs away from the developed countries. They are still a ruthless authoritarian government that came to power 60 years ago and yet we embrace them and treat them as a friend. Ask the people of Hong Kong who do they hate the most. Makes me sick when Krusty goes to China to court the devil.

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space889

Because having a weak military & economy, and remain dirty poor with most of your population starving is the right way to go?? How’s that working out for the progress ME countries that US managed to bring democracy too? Or people of North Korea?

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patriotz

Good for you to bring up NK. The only reason this freak show exists in the first place is because Mao stepped in to stop UN forces (including Canadians) from steamrolling Kim Il-Sung in the 1950’s, and because Mao’s successors continue to prop up Kim’s successors.

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Best place on meth

The Chinese also supported Pol Pot as he massacred 2 million of his own people.

Then the chinamen were so pissed when Vietnam rolled into Cambodia and liberated them that they then attempted to invade Vietnam.

Naturally they got their asses kicked and quickly retreated.

China and mass murder go hand in hand, that country is the worst shithole of all time.

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space889

Hmmm….I guess China has good companies then with US & Canada in that department. 🙂

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space889

So why did US have an embargo on Cuba, a tiny insignificant island nation in the grand scheme of things for 50 years?? Why does Russia have issues with US install missile shield and bases right on its door step?

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

Apparently I touched a nerve with some people who don’t want to discuss the ALR. Well I for one am glad to forward the discussion. For those “ALR deniers” here, some more food for thought: 1991 SFH stock ~300k GV population ~1.6 M Ratio of people per SFH: 5.3 1996 SFH stock ~300k GV population ~1.8 M Ratio of people per SFH: 6.0 2001 SFH stock ~300k GV population ~2.0 M Ratio of people per SFH: 6.7 2006 SFH stock ~300k GV population ~2.1 M Ratio of people per SFH: 7.0 2011 SFH stock ~300k GV population ~2.3 M Ratio of people per SFH: 7.7 2011 SFH stock ~300k GV population ~2.5 M Ratio of people per SFH: 8.3 Notice the trend? This is really simple supply and demand, and perfectly explains why SFH prices have gone through the roof… Read more »

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Tim

Condo and townhouse prices have tripled since 2002. Detached houses have gone up by 4x. Further, most of the increase in detached prices has been in Vancouver, west van, and Burnaby. Further out, the increase is much less.

The ALR then at best explains a fraction of the increase, of a fraction of the market, of a fraction of one housing type. Fail.

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

1. So you agree with me that the ALR has an impact. Great! Glad I was able to convince you.

2. I never claimed the ALR was the only explanation for rising real estate prices. I claimed that flat supply combined with increased demand for SFH explains the difference in price increases between the two types of housing units. Your post seems to agree with this point as well. (3x increase vs 4x increase).

3. I noticed you didn’t answer my question: do you deny that the ALR is the primary reason for the large increase in the ratio of people to SFH stock? If not due to the ALR, than what do you propose is the cause?

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Tim

You didn’t convince me of anything.

People don’t want to live in outer Ladner if they have any choice. Adding houses out there would do little to reduce price pressure in Vancouver, N Van, and Burnaby.

That there would be a restricted supply of SFH in the outer burbs has been an understood trade-off for the ALR from the start. Maybe you missed the last generation of lobbying for transit and accepting higher-density lifestyles? Long distance commuting is the problem, not the solution.

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StupidityCheck

You realize almost half of Richmond is ALR, right?

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

Interesting that you still haven’t answered my question so I’ll ask it in a simpler way that you might better understand:

Why have we added no net new SFH in the GV region in the over 10 years (actually it’s more than 20 but who’s counting)? I claim this is primarily due to the ALR. You seem to disagree, but you haven’t offered an alternative reason.

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Tim

I have a question for you:

Why are you so focussed on a factor that is, at best, responsible for less than 1/3 of the price appreciation of a fraction of the market?

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

First of all, I am not obsessed. Furthermore I don’t accept your assertion that it’s responsible a “fraction of the market” Regardless, it’s not me who’s obsessed so much as the people in this country and this city, the vast majority of whom have repeatedly stated a preference to own a single detached home. And to answer your question, the reason I brought it up in this forum is because I believe it to be a significant factor and would like to debate it’s relative importance, and not, as you clearly assume, because I’m necessarily in favor of abolishing it. Rather I’m in favor of everyone making informed decisions based on all the facts. So now that I’ve graciously answered your question I will ask mine once again: why have we added zero net new SFH supply to the region… Read more »

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Tim

Because we’ve also developed SFH lots in the inner areas.

Just because people have a “preference” for a SFH does not mean they are willing to increase their odds of having such, by sacrificing other values. Fallacy of the excluded middle. People have many preferences. They make trade offs.

Again, this is what choosing shorter commutes and densification over sprawl *MEANS*. What you’re trying to do is dishonest: Fix one value over all others, and claim “well you prefer this over that, so you MUST agree with me that the SFH supply is the one true value over all others!”.

No. Most people don’t.

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

I’m sorry, but I have to admit I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed. I’m happy to debate you but I’d prefer it if we could try to resolve one thing at a time. I get it, you hate sprawl and love the ALR. Awesome! I think we can actually agree on quite a lot, believe it or not. I’m happy to discuss transit and densification, but first I would really like understand your answer to my question. I promise I am not trying to be obtuse. I would love to discuss the merits of transit vs highways etc, but not if you are going to avoid my question. I asked why the region has not added any new SFH in years, and your answer was: “Because we’ve also developed SFH lots in the inner areas.” Huh? Come again?… Read more »

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Tim

“I’m not actually arguing for or against the ALR”

Yes, of course, Concern troll just has concerns.

“Because we’ve also developed SFH lots in the inner areas.”

We have removed a large number of SFH lots by redeveloping them as multi-unit. At the same time, in non ALR blocks of land, we have added SFH lots. There are posts above that outline hundreds of acres of available land that is only slowly being added to the market, for reasons we can only guess at.

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Its_the_ALR_stupid

Well if you’re going to call me a liar and a troll to my face then I have no interest in debating you any more. Have a good day.

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Zero Down Forty

Even if if there was some political move to abolish the ALR, the pressure to ensure that agricultural land wasn’t sacrificed for single family sprawl would be so great the vast majority of any housing product would most likely be transit-oriented smart-growth higher density forms.

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space889

Don’t expect rational & logical arguments out of the majority of “bears” on this blog.

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Combat roach

https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/make-vancouver-great-again.jpg

“This is about people [who] are living here without paying taxes and people who live here, the people who work, the people who are providing these services to everyone, doctors, teachers, nurses, they can’t afford to live here anymore.”

http://www.makevancouvergreatagain.org/

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Best place on meth

Stay classy, fuerdai!

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