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Vancouver Remains Unaffordable Despite Proposed Federal Funding Says Experts

Federal funds for housing might be coming Vancouver's way in the following budget plan, yet affordability in the city is going to deteriorate before it shows signs of improvement, say housing specialists.

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson reported yesterday the city is approaching the government for a large portion of a billion dollars to construct social housing on $250 million worth of city owned land area - the greater part of it empty. He and 19 other Canadian chairmen are in Ottawa last week, pitching their needs to the government before it discharges its financial plan.

In any case, one non-profit housing official says that while the proposition puts Vancouver in front of different urban communities with regards to putting shovels to the ground, it will in any case take years to construct all the more housing.

Lapsing co-op housing contracts, a maturing populace, and the increasing costs of land will propagate Vancouver's lodging affordability issues sooner than later.

Any financing deal with the federal government will be a long haul solution, however that doesn't mean individuals ought not support it, said Tony Roy, CEO of B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association.

"It's important to be supportive of the politicians who are stepping now at the city level now to make those decisions.. because people aren't going to see the results of them by the next election. This isn't a quick fix; this is a long term decision."

Robertson's proposition recommends that government money be put toward building new social lodging on 20 city owned locales.

There are as of now 60,000 units of social lodging and 15,000 units of community lodging in B.C. according to Roy

Vancouver has one of the least housing vacancy rates in Canada, with a 0.5 % opportunity rate for private lofts as per CMCH's October 2014 numbers.               

The city needs to discover approaches to fill the requirement for rental housing now, paying little mind to whether that government cash comes through, says engineer and organizer Michael Geller.

The city declared Wednesday arrangements to make 252 units of business sector rental housing close Burrard Street and 14th Ave on the city's west side.


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