Wondering how Mayor Gregor Robertsons meeting with federal finance minister Jim Flaherty went last week in Ottawa?
So am I.
Havent had a chance to catch up with the mayor since he returned from his trip to Ontario, where he also delivered a speech to the Toronto Board of Trade.
You may have read the story I wrote about his speech.
To summarize: Robertson outlined three steps to get more rental housing built in Vancouver, including federal government-backed tax incentives for developers to build rental housing.
Im thinking the tax scheme idea didnt go over well.
How do I know?
I found a copy of a letter dated Jan. 4, 2012 written by Flaherty and sent to New Westminster mayor Wayne Wright, who also happens to be the chairperson of the Metro Vancouver housing committee.
That committee, which includes Vision Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs, sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the topic of affordable rental housing.
Here, in part, is Flahertys reply:
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of quality and affordable housing for Canadians, he wrote. It has chosen to support efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing by providing direct support and not by offering tax incentives.
So, there you have itno tax incentives.
In fact, he wrote, Canada enjoys a high rate of home ownership among industrialized countries and has a vibrant rental market and a broad network of social housing for those Canadians who need support.
That kind of goes contrary to what Robertson said in his speech in Toronto, where he noted very little purpose-built rental housing had been built in Vancouver in decadesand almost no new co-op housing in many years, since the federal government pulled out of these realms.
Flaherty said his governments Economic Action Plan provided $2.1 billion toward the construction and renovation of social housing units, including $850 million to address the backlog in demand for renovation and energy retrofits and another $150 million to do the same for federally administered social housing units.
Another $400 million was spent on the construction of new housing units for low-income seniors delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation through something called the Affordable Housing Initiative and cost shared with provinces and territories.
But if thats the caseif the federal government is spending billions of dollars on housingthen what is Metro Vancouvers housing committee going on about? And why is Robertson pushing for more rental housing?
Heres what Robertson told the Toronto Board of Trade:
I hear stories almost daily about people forced to move out of Vancouver. Yes, perhaps our loss is a benefit to communities in distant suburbs, or in Alberta or Saskatchewan. But often there are big impactsfamilies are split up, sprawl devours precious farmland, the transportation network is strained, resulting in more traffic congestion and pollution.
Never mind the fact income inequality grows in B.C. and the province has had the highest child poverty rate in the country for eight consecutive years.
Best place on earth?
A world-class city?
Yep, sure.
Twitter: @Howellings
