Seeking Office

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

On Tuesday June 11th, Vancouver City Council unanimously passed several measures designed to improve renter protections. In a tweet that same day, Mayor Kennedy Stewart described the measures as, “Canada's broadest and most comprehensive series of protections for renters.” But is that statement accurate?

Star Vancouver City Hall reporter Jen St. Denis unpacks the details of this newly approved report and explains crucial differences in how renters who are "demovicted" versus renters who are "renovicted," are protected.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

The Bloedel Conservatory turns 50 this year. Perched at the highest point in Vancouver, this triodetic dome is home to hundreds of tropical birds and plants. In this special episode of Seeking Office, a woman named Lina and a cockatoo named Charlie find refuge both in Bloedel's little paradise, and one another.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

On Monday, April 29th, Vancouver City Council narrowly voted to shift 2% of the tax burden from businesses to residential property owners. Green Councillor Pete Fry was vocal about his uncertainty over whether or not to support the tax shift. In the end, he chose to support it for largely symbolic reasons.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

After an SFU housing panel on Tuesday, April 23rd, B.C.'s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson, speaks with CiTR reporter Alex de Boer about how her government is attempting to de-commodify housing.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

In Kitsilano, residents are fiercely protective of neighborhood character. Many say a five-storey apartment set to be built at 1805 Larch Street threatens that character. The project is being proposed under the City's MIRHPP rental incentive program, which ensures 20% of suites are rented at below-market rates to people with an annual income of $30,000 - $80,000. CiTR's News Collective speaks with people for and against this project outside a town hall at the Kitsilano Neighborhood House on April 10th.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

Do city councillors or city staff run Vancouver?

This episode examines recent tensions between councillors and the City Manager, and looks into how much, if any bias guides staff when advising council.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

On February 26th, City Council passed a Rental 100 development at 1906-1918 West 4th Avenue. Initially, an amendment to add vacancy control to this development was added and passed in a 6-5 vote, but then a re-vote was called and the amendment was undone. Councillor Adriane Carr both supported the amendment to impose vacancy control and later voted against it. In this episode, Councillor Carr offers perspective on why she changed her vote so drastically.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

Following a two-day public hearing, Vancouver City Council unanimously approved a rezoning application that will allow the construction of a detox centre and mixed-rate rental housing on a on a block of land between Clark and McLean drives along East First Avenue. Activists from the CCPA and VANDU disrupted the first day of the hearing to draw attention to those who are homeless and living in tents in Oppenheimer Park.

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

Since the 1960s, the development of rental housing in Vancouver has been in decline. Vancouver's Rental 100 policy is a response to that decline. Since its implementation in 2012 there has been a notable increase in purpose-build rental housing in the City. But renter advocates are divided on its effectiveness at making Vancouver more livable for tenants. Sara Sagii of the Vancouver Tenants Union and Karen Sawatzky, former Chair of the City's Renter Advisory Committee, both give perspective on the policy.

*** Correction: City Council has referred discussion and decision on Councillor Carr's motion to change Vancouver’s housing by-laws to February 26. It has not yet passed***

From CiTR's News Collective, this is season two of Seeking Office—At-Large. Bringing you innovative storytelling from Metro Vancouver.

On Monday, February 4th, New Westminster City Council unanimously passed an innovative new renter-protection bylaw. City Councillor Jaimie McEvoy explains why this bylaw is the next best thing to end vacancy control and how he hopes it will inspire other Lower Mainland municipalities to adopt similar measures.