Housing issues a priority for B.C. municipalities at UBCM
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Politicians gearing up for B.C. municipal convention next week
The NDP cabinet are going to be facing many demands from municipal politicians regarding the province’s first-ever comprehensive housing plan at the 2017 UBCM convention happening in Vancouver on September 25-29, 2017.
Many municipalities around the province have proposals on how to ease the cost and scarcity of rental and purchased housing:
- Victoria is calling for a share of increased federal and provincial taxes to dedicated to municipal affordable housing and transit.
- Langley Township is requesting some of the province’s property tax windfall to help manage the fast-growing number of homeless people.
- Nelson is asking for authority to place a surtax on “Vacant and derelict residential properties”.
- Esquimalt is asking the province to encourage investment in rental housing, while also restricting “renovictions” (landlords evict tenant to make renovations and raise rent).
- Chilliwack wants more assistance with regulations and staff at provincial “supportive recovery homes” for those dealing with drug or alcohol addiction.
- Delta is seeking improvements on home care services and day programs for seniors and to better their social support to reduce senior isolation.
Full article: https://www.ashcroftcachecreekjournal.com/news/housing-issues-pressing-for-ndp-government/#, published on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 on Ashcroft Cache Creek Journal