CiTR -- The City

What are the conditions that have led to the current labour situation at Canada?s largest port? And what is the significance of Vancouver?s port within wider global supply chains? On the program, we?ll be taking an in-depth look at the current labour situation involving port truckers and we?ll be examining the complexities of global commodity chains, ports, and port cities like Vancouver.

Vancouver's recently approved Downtown Eastside neighbourhood plan raises concerns over the definition of social housing and the plan's ability to stop -- or even slow -- gentrification. Low-income advocates and others express frustration that the significant 30-year plan was rushed through city council. On the podcast, we hear from low-income advocate Tamara Herman (Carnegie Community Action Project), Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, Councillor Adriane Carr, and urban planning/geography PhD student Melissa Fong.

Seven hundred and thirty-one homeless people live in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) according to the City of Vancouver, and approximately 5000 more live on the edge of homelessness in tiny Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel rooms. Many of these people rely on welfare and basic pension and desperately need new self contained social housing.

This year?s Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) hotel and housing report found that SROs in the DTES are more expensive than ever and that fewer still are available to low-income individuals looking for rooms.

Rory Sutherland, is co-author of the report, No Place to Go: Losing Affordable Housing and Community.

Highlights from the past year of critical urban discussions and a reminder to support independent radio. Donate online at www.citr.ca/donate and support the alternative programming that you enjoy.

On the podcast, we examine the history and memories of Vancouver's original black community, Hogan's Alley, in a radio documentary produced by Arial Fournier and Andy Longhurst.

Jules Boykoff discusses the Olympics Games -- prominent urban mega-event spectacles -- as a form of 'celebration capitalism' (the complement to Naomi Klein's 'disaster capitalism'). He talks about celebration capitalism and political dissent in the context of the Vancouver, London, and Sochi Olympic Games.

Jules Boykoff is author of Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games (2013). He is associate professor of politics and government at Pacific University in Oregon.

On the program, the second part of the conversation with urban economic geographer Elliot Siemiatycki about Vancouver?s transformation from a productive city into a city of consumption, dominated increasingly by real estate and tourism. We discuss what the future might hold for Vancouver as a city of consumption ? and whether it might be advantageous for the city to chart an alternative economic path forward.

On the program, urban economic geographer Elliot Siemiatycki discusses Vancouver?s transformation from a productive city into a city of consumption, dominated increasingly by real estate and tourism. We examine how the city?s structure, feel, and image of itself have shifted over the last three decades ? and how the rise of precarious employment is implicated in this transformation.

On the program, renowned New York City scholar John Mollenkopf (Distinguished Professor, City University of New York) discusses Michael Bloomberg?s three terms as mayor of New York City and what the election of Bill de Blasio means for the city. We also discuss the history of urban politics in New York. inequality, affordable housing, and urban development ? as well as immigration and the shifting landscape of electoral politics in the US?s largest city.

On the program, we reflect on the Michael Bloomberg era in New York City and what the mayoral election of Bill de Blasio might mean for (in)equality, public and affordable housing, and urban development policies. He is the first democratic mayor elected since 1993. Valery Jean of Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE) discusses these issues and more.