Langford’s reputation not supported by facts
Re: “Council’s move will discourage new housing,” editorial, July 2.
The editorial recommends that Victoria address housing affordability by copying Langford and “cutting red tape,” suggesting that “we have proof” that this works.
Despite all the media hype implying that Langford accounts for much of the growth in the region, this is simply not true.
According to the latest population estimates from B.C. Stats, the City of Victoria has added more people since 2011 (up 9, 728) than Langford (8,918).
Additionally, the City of Victoria has recorded more housing starts than Langford in five of the past eight years.
The truth is that, considering its land base is fully built up, Victoria has done a remarkably good job over the past several years in accommodating new residents, and it has done so in a much more environmentally sustainable way than Langford.
The data indicate that “red tape” has not had a significant detrimental impact on growth in Victoria, and there’s nothing to suggest that reducing red tape would significantly reduce housing costs.
Steven Murray
Victoria
Many bad choices led to housing crisis
The cost of housing in Victoria is a serious issue for the community. A Band-Aid on a broken arm will not heal the arm.
The debate around 10, 20, 30 or 50 per cent below market rental units in all new major projects misses the salient point. Developers do not pay. The purchasers of the 90, 80, 70, or 50 per cent alone will pay for what should be a charge on all taxpayers.
It took decades of poor policy choices by all three levels of government to create the housing crisis facing society today. A series of seemingly unrelated decisions taken to “solve” housing problems in hindsight are all too obvious — zoning, over-regulation, rent control, landlord-tenant legislation — leading to the seemingly intractable issues facing Victoria council today.
Once again, a bad decision was taken which will have the effect exactly opposite to the stated intention of proponents.
John Treleaven
Sidney
Finally, a housing policy that works
Re: “Council’s move will discourage new housing,” editorial, July 2.
Many people are saying that the cost of land is so high, we can’t expect developers to build 20 per cent affordable housing. This is flawed logic.
The price of any given piece of raw land will reflect the allowable use of that land. If Victoria decides that only turnips can be grown on a piece property, then the price of that property will fall until growing turnips is a viable option.
If they require 20 per cent (or even 100 per cent) affordable housing, then the price of the land will fall, until it works for developers.
Right now, the land is priced with the expectation that 100 per cent luxury condos can be built. Change that expectation, and the price falls. This is basic supply and demand, and just as certain as gravity.
We know that the current condo development model has utterly failed. We have a city full of luxury condos that local people can’t afford. Developers have built housing for wealthy retirees and investors, often from elsewhere. People who want to live, work, and contribute in Victoria face an obscene housing crisis. Building more supply doesn’t work, if you continue to build the wrong kind of supply.
The city should be applauded for this bold initiative. We are sick and tired of tinkering around the edges with housing policy, and never seeing results.
Richard Brunt
Victoria
Housing should not be a business enterprise
Developers do not build housing to house people. They build it to make money for the investors who loan them money. This was stated in the editorial bashing Victoria council's requirement that developers build housing local working people can afford.
Investors demanding profits on money they loan developers are the wrong people to make housing policy.
Housing development should be financed by no- or low-interest loans by a public bank. Health care is not a for-profit enterprise in Canada.
Housing development should not be either.
Bill Appledorf
Victoria
Basic economics in the housing market
Re: “Council’s move will discourage new housing,” editorial, July 2.
If you have one buyer for 10 houses, the price will come down.
If you have 10 buyers for one house, the price will go up!
In economics, it is known as the law of supply and demand.
Don Horwood
Victoria
Councillors will pay for housing decision
City council’s passing of the 20 per cent affordable housing bylaw shows the members do not listen to industry nor the advisory panel input.
To show this even further, Coun. Ben Isitt at the last minute put forward an amended motion for 50 per cent. Fortunately the amendment was defeated.
Come 2022 they will listening when the citizens of Victoria cast votes.
Tom Sims
Victoria
Share your ideas on the future of forestry
Re: “Poorly managed forests responsible for mill closures,” comment, June 28.
British Columbians know our forest industry is experiencing significant challenges. These issues are not new and have been building for several years.
The comment by John Bergenske mischaracterizes the reasons for recent curtailments and closures.
Our world-leading sustainable sector, which provides renewable products to B.C. and the world, has faced a reduction in timber supply from the mountain pine beetle crisis and increasingly-severe wildfire seasons.
Lumber prices are volatile, log costs are rising, and companies cannot access enough fibre inputs to keep their mills running.
With continued trade challenges, too, including 20 per cent tariffs on B.C. softwood lumber by the U.S., we have a perfect storm of conditions.
This is not a big vs. small issue — companies of every size are feeling the impacts. They are making difficult choices to rebalance mill capacity with fibre availability and market conditions.
This is impacting many communities that rely on 140,000 forestry jobs.
As we manage through this transition, our collective objective should be to create the conditions for future success, including reliable access to available fibre, and robust, predictable, and efficient regulations that protect the environment while encouraging investment. This will provide the stability that our workers, communities, and companies all need.
As Bergenske stated, the provincial government is conducting consultations on several forest policy issues. We encourage British Columbians to share ideas and engage productively so, together, we can secure jobs that support families in every corner of B.C. and ensure community stability.
Susan Yurkovich
President and CEO
B.C. Council of Forest Industries
A relaxing glass of wine on the ferry
What is the difference between having a drink on a ferry, and driving to a restaurant for a meal, having a glass of wine with friends, choosing the designated driver and driving home?
Surely we don’t need the nanny state to inform us about drinking and driving.
When we travel on any of the ferries between countries in Europe, or between Victoria and Port Angeles, we can purchase a drink. This has been the case for decades apparently without problems.
If you don’t want to purchase liquor, you are free to refrain.
For the rest of us, it would be quite lovely to sit down to a nice meal in the buffet with a glass of wine and relax, while enjoying the incomparable scenery out of the windows.
Sue Warren
Brentwood Bay
Big bill from navy seems doubtful
Re: “Canada’s 15 new warships will cost at least $70 billion: budget watchdog,” June 22.
There must surely be something seriously wrong with this cost estimate. It will average $4.7 billion per ship, and frigates are typically the smallest warships in a country’s navy.
The unit cost of the nuclear-powered Nimitz class aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy was $4.5 billion US, or roughly $6 billion Cdn.
Several of these massive ships have made goodwill visits to the Esquimalt base. To suggest that Canada’s new frigates will cost almost as much is quite unbelievable.
Patrick Fleck
North Saanich
