JuneSpring

That lack of data you speak about does not support your position either by any means - as I said, there are more factors at work than immigration. I suspect interest rates are one of those, and according to many reports, the factors I mentioned above.

Also, asking the Government to collect actual data (as opposed to arguing ignorance) is a valid position. Christy Clark just offered "I'm opposed to foreign tax on investors because it will increase house prices" and "I'm open to any ideas". So the Government knows that foreign investment is a direct cause of Vancouver house price increases.

And yes of course, myself and anyone who is interested in understanding this issue further is just racist or jealous. That covers it all - great approach, Bravo.

NZ, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore: these are all countries with clear data collection and property tax action by the Government, but Canada cannot have that because no-one here can claim first immigrant status. Find some new logic.

scrubbedexpat091

Affordable housing issues are squarely on Christy and her provincial cohorts and the federal clowns in Ottawa, they could build more social housing or require X % if every new condo building to be BC Housing, but its not election friendly to say, hey we are going to spend money on more housing for the poor.

The poor don't have the numbers to benefit these politicians, and it's not hip or cool to build social housing.

Same as its not hip or cool or of election benefit to raise housing rates for disabled who get a whole 375 per month for housing in BC.

It's silly to blame a mayor though, its beyond a local municipal mayors powers. Same for those who blame Squamish mayor if LNG comes to town, jack all she can do, its not within her powers.


I quite support bike lanes, more city's need more lanes, don't close down roads but incorporate bike lanes into the road system, cars are not going anywhere in the short term to medium term, best to adapt to working with cars and not against cars.

Need to make transit more efficient as well.

scrubbedexpat091

But then people complain about too many cars on the roads and how people should live closer to work and not commute in cars.

Further from work you go, transit becomes less and less viable as an alternative unless you wan't to spend 3-4 hours a day on buses and trains.



Problem I have with competing for housing (not necessarily owning but renting as well) is in more and more of the LM and Sea to Sky even modest income earners are being forced out with no housing alternatives because rents are climbing so quickly, more and more people literally cannot afford a basic need housing.

Only saving grace in BC is there is some rent control for existing tenants, but even with those controls, people still get pushed out eventually as their income never goes up.

What do people do unless you want many services to go away, when rents, owning, and pretty much all forms of housing are unavailable to those not in the higher income groups?

We are moving in with MIL in January, we simply cannot afford our rent, and there is nothing cheaper in town, joys of high cost of housing.

JuneSpring

PS Ex Kiwi Lass - I respect your position.

scilly

sorry, June

I don't trust the sources you are citing


I do read a lot, I keep up with current affairs, and I know what is "said" by lots of people

I even know some of the people who are saying these things ....... some of them only by repute and some I have met.

We can all find articles that fit what we believe ........ you find the sources you trust, I will find the sources I trust.

If they say the same thing ..... fine

If not, then you continue to believe what you believe, and come over as sounding racist

and I will continue to believe what I believe, and probably come over as racist as you, only in a different way!

JonboyE

Interest rates are a factor is some market segments as I noted before, but it is not a great driver, or indicator, of real estate prices in Vancouver.

You can buy a three bedroom house in the Maritimes for less than $100,000. It will cost more than $1,000,000 in Vancouver. The interest rates are the same in each place.

The people who buy houses in Vancouver do not necessarily have to borrow money to do so.

JuneSpring

A factor.

JuneSpring

Never been called racist before but sure, I've also now been called an Internet imposter from some weird posters here.

Great experience, on these forums.

Fair play, silly - have a great Sunday

scilly

the name is SCILLY

I don't appreciate your mis-spelling, but hope it was accidental

scilly

Note that I also said I would come across as racist as you


and I do not believe that I am racist .........


but many of those articles that you cite are racist as they are blaming one group of people for the huge problem in Vancouver and elsewhere

Shard

That was the bison they forced their culture on, some 10-12000 years ago. Before that no humans of any kind. But I don't disagree with the thrust of your argument, that the FN were once migrants too.

ExKiwilass

oh ffs they were migrants thousands of years ago back in prehistory which no one can remember, for thousands of years they've been here. it's not the same.

no one is calling you racist june, but you have to admit you are maybe perhaps biased because you want to buy a place but it's all so bloody expensive, is that fair? We all want to live here - arguably we're all part of the problem. that's the irony - a lot of people want to live in vancouver, so prices are high.

like JBE said, if it were just low interest rates why is RE in NS or NB so bloody cheap? Not much demand, that's why.

ExKiwilass

you're new here. maybe, take some time to get to know this place first. and yes, i do think there is jealousy and racism underlying a lot of the foreign buyer bashing in teh press here.

Shard

Not sure if you saw this article June, a few months old but on topic.

Vancouver being transformed by new wave of brash, rich Asians looking for safe place to ‘park their cash’ | National Post

el_richo

The trend is your friend.

Until it isn’t.