Mayor Gregor Robertson outlined three steps to get more rental housing built in Vancouver in a speech he gave Friday to the Toronto Board of Trade.
Robertson stopped in Toronto before making his way to Ottawa, where he will meet Monday with federal finance minister Jim Flaherty to discuss initiatives for rental housing.
Weve had very little purpose-built rental housing built in decades, almost no new co-op housing in many years, since the federal government pulled out of these realms, Robertson told the crowd in his speech, a copy of which was provided to the Courier from the mayors office. 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.
Robertson said there are steps the city can take that wont put a burden on taxpayers and will increase rental housing stock and spur economic growth.
Step one: Ottawa can underwrite low-interest loans to finance new rental construction. Using the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations ability to obtain funds at low government rates, the city could kickstart a rental housing loan program to get developers to build rental housing.
Step two: Reform the tax system to encourage owners to renovate and renew rental properties, and remove the incentive to demolish.
Lets make it in the building owners interest to sell to someone who wants to preserve affordable housing, rather than demolish it, he said.
Step three: Provide support for landlords to retrofit homes to make them energy efficient, which would reduce costs and ease pressure on rents. The mayor didnt say whether support was through policy changes at the city, whether it would be financial, or both.
Of course, there are fiscal implications for each of those steps, Robertson said. But because they generate economic activity directly, and support indirect longer-term economic growth, theyll more than make up for any initial impact.
The mayor also met with Toronto mayor Rob Ford and gave him a football from last falls Grey Cup game at B.C. Place Stadium. Ford and Robertson also talked housing.
Earlier this week, Robertson announced members of his so-called housing affordability task force. He and former B.C. cabinet minister Olga Ilich are heading up the task force, which is expected to deliver an interim report by March 12.
The task force will seek public input and complete a final report with recommendations on such areas as rental housing by June 30, or earlier.
We need to solve homelessness and to make living and working in our cities more affordable, Robertson said. Because right now too many families and businesses struggle to pay the price of living here.
Twitter: @Howellings
