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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For those who feel lost and abandoned, because three blog posts from me a day aren’t enough and I haven’t started Twittering yet, you can hear some snippets of my profound wisdom twice today. I’m on CBC between 2 and 2:30, with Aamer Haleem at The Point, talking about how cities are trying to encourage […]

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That’s the subject of my Globe story in today’s paper. I should note that, while the construction industry is grappling with what to do while the housing market/office market/economy seems to be, some people are breathing a sigh of relief that things have slowed down. Gives everyone a chance to collect their wits and attempt […]

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I’d like to think it was just me but, actually, I believe that it’s all the hot news coming out of city hall these days that drove my blog-hit count up to 63,000 this month. (And I think half my readers read to see the interesting comment debates that erupt.) With more to come this […]

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There’s a news conference skedded tomorrow on the York Theatre with a host of city personages, including developer Bruno Wall, Mayor Gregor Robertson, former councillor now consultant Jim Green, architect Gregory Henriquez, theatre advocate Tom Durrie, and Cultch manager Heather Robertson. That can only mean 1. Bruno Wall has been successful in buying the Commercial […]

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I’m a few days late in linking to this story, but it’s, as they say, timeless. Sean Holman at Public Eye in Victoria has taken a closer look at the provincial government’s move to change the law to allow wood-frame construction for apartment buildings up to the five- and six-storey level. Currently, the limit is […]

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Another fun morning in another unheated brick building being renovated, with the housing crowd in the province as everyone gathered at the St. Helen’s hotel on Granville Street. That was to hear the premier and Housing Minister Rich Coleman announced they had bought 601 new units around the province in 15 buildings, all as part […]

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Both citycaucus.com and the Tyee have posted the former mayor’s thoughts on the Olympic village, which you can read here and here. And apparently he’ll also be in the Vancouver Sun tomorrow. Quite the media blitz. Sam makes some strong arguments — I have my doubts about whether anyone’s opinion on this issue is now […]

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Off to the 9:30 press conference this morning, where the premier and Housing Minister Rich Coleman are about to announce another big end-of-year buy of residential hotels and older apartment buildings for the third year in a row. All part of the plan to secure this private stock so it can be used for housing […]

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I feel bad that I’m not on an advisory committee to the mayor. Everyone else in town seems to be. First, there was the homelessness action team, a high-powered group that meets Sunday afternoons to figure out how to get 1,500 people out of shelters and off the streets ASAP. Then, there was the developers’ […]

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