Gregor Robertson says more can and will be done to help housing affordability
Posted March 1, 2017 4:12 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Gregor Robertson is calling for some changes in how we deal with the affordable housing crisis.
It came from his speech to the Urban Land Institute.
Robertson says both the province and the federal governments need to help Vancouver deal with this problem.
“When they help invest when they put capital forward, we are able to get deeper affordability.”
Robertson also outlined a few ways the City can attack the issue.
“City Hall is the biggest landowner here in Vancouver. So we have a broad portfolio of land holdings that we need to take the next set of and put into play.”
Robertson believes city council will also look at the supply of affordable homes in areas around transit stations, noting the number of condominiums around Canada Line stations that don’t help renters find an affordable place to live.
Planners will look into how we develop along arterial routes, and in neighbourhoods with multi-family homes. Robertson says the city needs to step up and allow more developments that will help with supply, giving an example of allowing a fourth storey to a three-storey building.
The changes from the city will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
For his entire speech to the Urban Land Institute listen below.
