Time to put brakes on Vancouver's growth

[phesto]

http://www.vancouversun.com/Gordon+G...123/story.html

Sad thing is there are a ton of Vancouverites who would support this view...

[Valley_Refugee]

Terribly written article, the premise aside

[racc]

Originally Posted by phesto

http://www.vancouversun.com/Gordon+G...123/story.html

Sad thing is there are a ton of Vancouverites who would support this view...

A very small ton. The anti-development candidates lost badly last election. It is a very vocal minority.

[quobobo]

Wow. The awful people who want to pull up the ladder behind them usually aren't so honest about it.

[WarrenC12]

Well, another ridiculous article. Although it does mention building permits should be granted based on the architecture proposed, which is a popular mantra around here.

This comment made me wonder: "The biggest disgrace to Vancouver is the development in Marpole, Sold out in 6 hours @ $1,000sqft and only available in China. It was not even available to purchase for Canadian Residents"

It sounds over the top, but another thread here mentioned the Granville and 70th development selling at the $800/sf level to offshore investors. So, did it happen? Is it sold out? Certainly there was no presale marketing I've seen as compared to many of the other major developments.

Furthermore, the pricing is ridiculous for the location. It sounds more like a ponzi scheme marketed to those who aren't familiar with the city.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by racc

A very small ton. The anti-development candidates lost badly last election. It is a very vocal minority.

Yep, apparently there were lots of gullible and envious basement suite dwellers who bought into the: "its not developer payback, its green living" farce.

[trofirhen]

This refrain used to pop up a lot years back when it was becoming apparent that Vancouver was going to one day become a big city. Some people just can't accept that and want to keep it a small-town kind of place.

There were no doubt similar groups in Toronto at one point, but look what happened....

[racc]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yep, apparently there were lots of gullible and envious basement suite dwellers who bought into the: "its not developer payback, its green living" farce.

Ignoring the insulting of people, which is typically done when one has no real argument, your comment makes little sense. Even the NPA got way more votes than the anti-development candidates. Unless, of course, you think NPA voters are "envious basement suite dwellers who bought into the: "its not developer payback, its green living" farce."

[Architype]

Vancouver only grew by 4.4% in the last census which is not that much, but the metro by 9.3%. However the writer is referring to the city. The growth is not realy too fast, but needs to be dealt with effectively.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by racc

Ignoring the insulting of people, which is typically done when one has no real argument, your comment makes little sense. Even the NPA got way more votes than the anti-development candidates. Unless, of course, you think NPA voters are "envious basement suite dwellers who bought into the: "its not developer payback, its green living" farce."

The reason the NPA lost is an inherent dichotomy in their structure: they're funded by devleopers (like Vision) but their base is largely homeowners who increasingly don't want development. Commentators largely focused on COPE's demise, but I'd expect the NPA voter base to start disintegrating as their traditional base migrates to parties like NSV who will likely elect candidates next time around.

Vision was fortunate that their voter base is largely gullible enough to believe the party's greenwashing mantra, without the sense to follow the money trail.

[dreambrother808]

Predicting the future based upon your own wishes and desires, although common, is not the best indicator.

Nevertheless, I am often surprised to find anti-development people in everyday conversation. In my experience, it's the basement dwellers to which you so fondly refer. Some of them illogically blame the high cost of ownership on the fact that condos are being built at all. Usually these people are averse to change or dislike the fact that rich folk profit off the developments. A good percentage also grew up in this area and feel that they have been robbed of some natural birthright.

[Vancity]

I couldn't bother reading the rest of the article.

Can't believe that some people hold this view? city growing too fast? LOL.

If the people don't like the city's growth rate, then go and move somewhere else. Like Calgary, or Chicago, or...you know, the world

[DKaz]

Limit development, then supply constraints drive housing prices up.

Allow development, and renovations and redevelopment drive housing prices up.

We're damned either way in terms of buying, but the past ten years have shown that rent cannot go up the same way real estate does. Real estate = market value, rent = rate of inflation.

[Prometheus]

The Canadian Constitution does guarantee the right of citizens and permanent residents to live anywhere in Canada. See section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

As usual, however, there are exceptions.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Limit development, then supply constraints drive housing prices up.

Allow development, and renovations and redevelopment drive housing prices up.

We're damned either way in terms of buying, but the past ten years have shown that rent cannot go up the same way real estate does. Real estate = market value, rent = rate of inflation.

The problem with people is that they're impatient and have very short memories.

We tend to think the current situation will continue forever. It doesn't.

The purchase of real estate is cyclical. It's a very emotional purchase for most people so it is very open to manipulation by external factors. Otherwise, you'd see it track more or less alongside inflation.

The whole supply and demand issue is a very minor factor. Thinking logically... if supply and demand was all there was to it (aka, aka, Panic, panic! Vancouver has no more land!!!) then how did prices bubble up nationwide so quickly? Please don't tell me it's the trickle down effect. It really isn't. In addition, we've lots and lots of land (not in the ALR) to build on. You'll notice that those reports that state there's no more land rarely state how much land is left. They're surprisingly devoid of facts. Rather, they often appeal to emotional factors. Marketing 101. Build a persuasion architecture.

[racc]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The reason the NPA lost is an inherent dichotomy in their structure: they're funded by devleopers (like Vision) but their base is largely homeowners who increasingly don't want development. Commentators largely focused on COPE's demise, but I'd expect the NPA voter base to start disintegrating as their traditional base migrates to parties like NSV who will likely elect candidates next time around.

Vision was fortunate that their voter base is largely gullible enough to believe the party's greenwashing mantra, without the sense to follow the money trail.

You still fail to get my point and please, the election is over, no need to discuss why one pro-density party beat the other here. It is not relevant to this discussion. My point was that even the NPA, which is pro-density except bizarrely for one candidate, while they lost, still got way more votes than the anti-density candidates.

So, when you combine the pro-density votes for the NPA and Vision, it is way greater than the anti anti-density votes. For mayor, it was around 30 to 1.

Hope you get it now. If not, I am at a loss on how to make this point to you.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by racc

You still fail to get my point and please, the election is over, no need to discuss why one pro-density party beat the other here. It is not relevant to this discussion. My point was that even the NPA, which is pro-density except bizarrely for one candidate, while they lost, still got way more votes than the anti-density candidates.

So, when you combine the pro-density votes for the NPA and Vision, it is way greater than the anti anti-density votes. For mayor, it was around 30 to 1.

Hope you get it now. If not, I am at a loss on how to make this point to you.

Yes, the election's over but sadly we'll be living with the results of Mayor Airhead for years to come.

[racc]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yes, the election's over but sadly we'll be living with the results of Mayor Airhead for years to come.

Seems like the only real problem is tired rhetoric from political opponents. Although I'm not sure lame name calling is really much of a problem.

[djmk]

the author of the article is gordan gibson who must be in his mid seventies now. ( and i believe he was once the head of the bc liberal party in the 70's)

anyone that has seen vancouver prior to WWII, nevermind expo 86, has seen massive changes. his hometown is forever changed.

i can respect his wish to slow the changes because lets be honest, this city is not the same city it was. culturally, density, politcally.... some of our older neighbours might of liked the old vancouver better. a vancouver less pretentious where people took the time to talked with each other.

[dreambrother808]

Agreed. I've only been here since '95 and feel that so much has changed since then. For one, the city has become more unfriendly even in that relatively short time. I have a lot of compassion for Gibson's point of view on the one hand, while still understanding that it is impractical on the other.

It's like my racist nana. She is obviously wrong but underneath it all I know that she is experiencing an emotional loss. The Canada she knew is forever gone and it is difficult for her to understand and adapt.