Quote:
Originally Posted by ssiguy
This is what Vancouverites are up against throughout the region where developers fund re-election campaigns:
There is a long term plan by Burnaby City Hall to `rezone` Metrotown which, as the city has admitted, will result in the destruction of 3,000 rental units built mostly in the 1960s currently housing 6,000 people. The immediate issue is 6 buildings which are to be `renovated` which have 400 units and 600 people living in them. The developers prefer the terms `renovated` so thyey can get out of paying the required 2 months rent in compensation. The city has also acknowledged that much of these units will be replaced by condo highrises and the rest by apartments with rents averaging 2 to 3X higher than what is currently charged. This in a city with a rental vacancy rate of under 1% and Burnaby itself already has the 3rd highest rental rates in Canada.
Scandalous! This is of course Vancouver where developers rule with impunity so is hardly surprising. It`s reasons like this why Vancouver in the last CMA estimates is now one of the slowest growing Metros in the country and BC is the only province in the country where it`s largest Metro is growing slower than the provincial average.
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I agree that you shouldn't be removing older rental stock but where else is Burnaby going to up zone but within the radius of the Skytrain and adjacent developments?
Now that Canadian cities have used up their brownfield sites, and have curbed sprawl there are now struggling with how to introduce density in established areas.
Where are you going to build the housing if this area isn't sufficient?