I’ve mentioned in a couple of my recent Globe stories that developers are looking at whether they should be considering building rental. That hasn’t happened on a large scale in many a moon here, because the money to be made from building condos was greater and quicker. But now, with buyers hesitant to rush in […]

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We (my, myself and I) hear there are lots of rumblings about what the new economic chill at city hall is going to mean. City manager Penny Ballem is apparently moving at lightning speed to push the trimming plan into action asap. That means that, by the end of the week, staff are expecting more […]

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Looking at the way Olympics cities all watch each other and share news, I sometimes feel like Vancouver has joined an exclusive little support group. Kind of like a Moms of Troubled Teens or Cancer Survivor group, but on a slightly larger scale. I was reminded of that yet again as this story from Chicago […]

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There was much talk about shovel-ready projects to get the nation moving again when the budget was announced Jan. 27. But no one quite knows yet when or how those projects will roll out. I checked with both Surrey and Vancouver in the last week and neither has heard yet what the process is going […]

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Daniel Fontaine, the chief of staff to former mayor Sam Sullivan, has posted a thoughtful essay on his blog on where the city’s 80-year-old Non-Partisan Association needs to go. One idea he has? Out to pasture, leaving the field open for a new party. Thoughts all?

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I found out just this week that one of my favourite university professors, Floyd St. Clair, died unexpectedly last month. I didn’t find out in time to go to his memorial and my memories of him do not, I am sure, do justice to all the different aspects of his life, but I couldn’t let […]

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I have a story in today’s Globe about what cities are trying to do to keep business, especially development, going in their neighbourhoods. Surrey’s efforts are just kicking off so not a lot of details yet, but there’s a LOT of talk in Vancouver these days about what the Vision council could do to thaw […]

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I don’t know what is going on over at the VPD, but, under new Chief Jim Chu, the department has turned into a more active social-planning agency than the city’s social-planning department. Last year, the police issued a substantive report that documented how much time the police spend dealing with mental illness. Shortly after, Premier […]

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Just back from roaming the room at the Commodore, where the newly in power Vision Vancouver held its first fundraiser since winning the election. I have to say, their fundraisers are different. No rubber chicken, no speeches, no videos about the accomplishments of the Great Leader. Instead, a great band with local jazz singer Karen […]

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The new Vision council promised to stop putting city money into paying for private security guards in the city’s business districts and it’s about to carry out that promise tomorrow — after hearing from speakers on the subject. If you have a strong opinion, hop on down to the 9:30 committee meeting tomorrow, although I […]

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