B&B’s (a.k.a. Short-Term Vacation Rentals in residential homes within Ucluelet neighbourhoods) The proposed changes that Council is considering are to clarify the definition of Bed and Breakfast or “B&B” which is a permitted secondary use in most single-family residential zones. Council is considering differentiating between Traditional B&B’s where guests were welcomed into an owner’s home through the main entrance of the house and the Recent B&B’s where guests access a suite through an exterior door and may or may not interact with the proprietor. If approved the bylaw will continue to permit Traditional B&B’s in residential zones, while the Recent B&B’s with exterior entrances will no longer be a permitted use.
The proposed bylaw amendments would still allow the B&B use but would clarify that new B&B operations are intended to match the scale, character and neighbourhood impact that traditional B&B’s had on Ucluelet neighbourhoods. On August 2nd, 2022, Council also gave first three readings to Business Regulation and Licensing Bylaw Amendment Bylaw No. 1313. If adopted, the new regulations would apply to all applications for business licences. This would affect both new businesses and the renewal of existing business licences.
Changes to the regulation of Bed & Breakfast accommodation include the following:
The B&B licence must only be for the principal residence of the B&B licence holder. New requirements for online advertising of B&B’s to show the business licence number, maximum occupancy and number of parking spaces available. New requirement for B&B’s to post the business licence number, maximum occupancy, maximum number of guest vehicles and owner contact on an approved sign at the property line visible from the public road. The new advertising requirements would take effect on May 1st, 2023.
"You know Premier David Eby’s response to every problem is to throw a tax at it.
Now the government is leveling more taxes on homes in British Columbia.
Eby says he will expand the speculation and vacancy tax to 13 new municipalities across B.C. The speculation tax is a tax on homes that the government decides aren’t primary residences – things like cottages. You can read more about the tax here.
The government is planning to hit 59 different communities with this tax.
Some of the communities on the government hit list, like Lake Country or Qualicum Beach, are prime cottage country. These are places where you may take your family in the summer and where businesses rely on tourism to survive.
Will you take a few moments to email Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and tell him what you think of the government’s new tax-grab? Here’s his email address: ravi.kahlon.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Thanks for standing up for taxpayers, you’re making a difference.
Minister Ravi Kahlon is making some big decisions for us litle folk. Anybody look at his resume? Professional field hockey player who never finished university is all I can find. How do all these unqualified people keep getting appointed to these positions?
Reply to 1:29 PM. Are you talking about people like a failed marine biologist who gets appointed to oversee projects like the Site C dam and the LNG industry?
It's because our elections are no longer about seeking the best candidate for the job, or deciding the best path for our governments to follow. Our elections have devolved into popularity contests. Paris Hilton and Kanye West are more likely to be elected than some professor from Harvard with eight degrees behind his name.
Can't find a home? Can't afford to eat? Sorry. But "Justin" is just soooo cute.
Some really great letters in favour of opting in coming in to council (and on the next agenda). Great to hear from actual residents of Tofino, thanks for writing.
I have read the details of the regulations and would like to see Tofino opt-in in March. The new regulations would not take effect until November giving non-resident STR owners one last summer and allow them to honour any bookings. More than they deserve but that is the way it is.
With support for the Trudeau government collapsing, it is shocking that the federal New Democrats have stagnated in the polls and failed to win over more young voters. Getting serious on housing might help the party break its malaise.
Thus far, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has failed to provide credible solutions to this national crisis, a necessity if he wants to stay relevant. Singh’s inadequate grasp of housing policy was made obvious in a recent media interview in which he criticized “luxury condos” and argued that 100 per cent of residential units built on public land should be set aside for affordable homes. His comments made it clear that he is both culturally and economically out of touch.
The term “luxury condos” is often used to describe new housing that is not actually extravagant in any sense. These skyboxes, many of which are studios or one-bedrooms, are far less spacious than the single-family houses that a majority of Canadians live in, which makes them sensible options for middle-class buyers who have been priced out of other parts of the market.
Despite their relative modestness, these units are often mislabelled “luxury” commodities by comfortably housed NIMBYs who, in many cases, misappropriate anti-corporatist language to legitimize their hostility towards neighbourhood change. Absurdly, this allows wealthy homeowners to block small condos for younger Canadians under the cloak of social justice.
It is tone deaf for Singh to embrace this rhetoric. Millennial and Gen Z homeowners do not need to be told that their cramped housing, which they can often barely afford, is extravagant — least of all from a politician who has been criticized for his taste in Rolex watches and Versace bags. That’s just bad optics.
Like many old-school progressives, Singh argued that “luxury condos” are too expensive to improve affordability — but high prices exist only because of the national housing shortage. There is ample evidence from other jurisdictions that if more market-rate housing is built, prices will decline.
....article continues...... Singh’s opposition to market-rate housing is myopic, economically illiterate and makes as much sense as attacking agricultural production during a famine — essential commodities do not turn into extravagances just because their prices are inflated by scarcity.
His vision for 100 per cent affordable housing similarly lacks credibility. A deep body of literature shows that residential development becomes financially unsustainable when governments require too many units to be sold below market rates. Construction plummets, which means fewer homes for everyone.
This is why most experts advise that only a minority of units in any development be set aside for affordable housing — the market-rate units keep projects profitable and help subsidize the costs of below-market homes.
When the reporter interviewing Singh pressed him on viability, noting that “developers are going to develop things that are going to give them profit,” he had no response beyond vaguely alluding to “incentives
While public subsidies for affordable housing are important, Singh’s vision cannot succeed without unprecedented public spending that Canada could not remotely afford in the best of times, let alone in the current economy. Our inflation crisis already illustrates why you cannot solve problems by simply firehosing money on them.
When the reporter then asked Singh how he would pay for his plan without stoking inflation, he claimed that as inflation is substantially driven by housing costs, his plan would actually reduce it. For a very long list of reasons, this makes no economic sense whatsoever.
Singh’s muddled understanding of housing, and his inability to articulate clear solutions, is made all the more perplexing when contrasted with the policies and messaging being embraced by his allies and enemies alike.
Over the past two years, it has been widely accepted that Canada suffers from a crippling housing shortage and that this has been largely, though not entirely, caused by overly restrictive regulations that throttle the construction of new homes. Chronic supply shortages have only intensified amid high immigration. Experts, activists and politicians from across the political spectrum are now demanding that governments cut red tape and “legalize housing” (a popular motto). Their asks are usually clear and specific — i.e. setting higher density targets, tying federal funding to housing completions, streamlining approval processes and reforming zoning policies that block urban densification.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was the first major Canadian political figure to tap into this zeitgeist, which has helped give him a commanding lead in the national polls. He has also expressed his ideas with greater clarity and effort than his competitors — as epitomized by a 15-minute housing documentary he released last weekend, which even critics admitted was compelling.
Yet progressives are tapping in, too. And they are doing so while championing public housing investments that are sensitive to economic reality.
The B.C. NDP recently blitzed the province with several bills that will make it easier to build new homes in urban areas, especially around transit infrastructure. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has pushed for similar reforms while proposing a plan for 25,000 new homes, of which 30 per cent will be set aside for affordable housing. Even the Trudeau government, after years of resistance, is embracing pro-supply reforms and using federal funds to bully municipalities into building more homes.
All of which demonstrates that taking leadership on housing isn’t hard — politicians of all stripes are already doing so. Singh needs to join them.
I haven’t confirmed this but several sources have told me that Tofino requires more extensive insulation to build than Ucluelet does. This adds to the cost of building. Meanwhile hundreds of Tofitians are living in trailers or cars with little or no insulation. The level of insulation in Tofino is on par with Prince George. The buildings are sealed so tightly that they require a pump to introduce fresh air into the house. An electric pump.
Tofino has a reputation amongst developers as being a sort of black hole. Where good proposals go to die. Councils have held ideologically impenetrable standards that have screwed the creation of more housing. Small minds focus on little things ignoring the elephantin the room. Allowing only public housing development has turned us into some kind of communist hell hole. Like get in line for bread. Let the market function. Some growth is not a bad thing unless you are one of those locals who don't want ANY change. This fits into the "Government, just get out of the way"
Councils have used the rationale that their is no water for the development of private sector housing, but in the last decade hundreds of units of private sector tourist accommodation have been constructed. What the _____ is that. "Can't do anything about that" they will say. Go live in the "temporary use zones" This place is ridiculous Applications for hundreds of units of private sector affordable housing end up in the waste bin. They won't approve anything for private sector housing unless they are legally forced into it. Talk about the "Gatekeepers". Tofino has it bad......worst place in the Province to try to do anything. No doubt there are some "progressives" who think that is just fine. Think about that contradiction.
The west coast is soooo lucky that it is remote and that housing is soooo expensive. With immigration pushing more and more Canadians into homelessness, poverty and drug abuse, at least the coastal communities are not experiencing the strains this puts on local resources. Drive through any other communities on the island and the downtowns resemble something out of a third world country. Oh, and by the way, in 22 days, the next 500,000 will start coming.
"Tofino. A quaint west coast fishing village of 600 souls nestled in the rainforest of Clayquot Sound"
That's the illusion that's being sold to the world. It's a big lie, a deceptive piece of advertising rhetoric simply put out there to con people into coming here and cheat them out of their money.
So, of course, there must not be any development. That exposes the lie.
Unless it's "affordable" staff housing for the resorts and hotels. That's ok. Who else did you think will be moving into those new apartments?
While were talking about lies let's look at the last 20 years of environmental planning that subverted the politics of Tofino. what was touted as "smart growth" and "sustainable development" eventually we've all come to understand that it really meant no growth and no development. Ha ha the joke is on us because we thought we were being guided by intelligence, experience and goodwill.
Throw in the latest hysteria of climate change on all levels of government. When thousands of ocean going freighters and cruise ships added to thousands and thousands of daily private jet flights, commercial jet flights, and large delegations going to climate conferences in far away countries consistently puke out more carbon then most countries in a year, and Canada's best customer for Coal is China, it is unlikely the minuscule amount of carbon emitted by stage 3 building requirements matters. the climate chicken littles love all the attention getting hysteria they can get so adopt stage 4 building requirements! regardless that Tofino is often the warmest place in Canada in the winter. just like Prince George! and ignore the common sense observation that glaciers melting are exposing artifacts from 7,000 years ago underneath them. duh! musta been warmer then. keep up the virtue signalling lies. hire more people. hire more consultants. write more bylaws....no wonder no competent people want to work here. is Tofino a joke?
But now a reversal of that trend is gradually taking hold. In the first six months of 2023 some 42,000 individuals departed Canada, adding to 93,818 people who left in 2022 and 85,927 exits in 2021, official data show. The rate of immigrants leaving Canada hit a two-decade high in 2019, according to a recent report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), an immigration advocacy group. While the numbers went down during pandemic lockdowns, data data shows it is again rising. While that is a fraction of the 263,000 who came to the country over the same period, a steady rise in emigration is making some observers wary. Emigration as a percentage of Canada’s overall population touched a high of 0.2 per cent in the mid 1990s, and currently stands at about 0.09 per cent.
Immigrants blame the sky-rocketing housing costs as the biggest reason for their decision to leave. In Canada about 60 per cent of household income would be needed to cover home ownership costs, a figure that rises to about 98 per cent for Vancouver and 80 per cent for Toronto, RBC said in a September report.
To 5:11 Could not agree more. I am ashamed of my government. Federal, Provincial and Municipal. They are destroying our country and our village. It is hard to believe the people in power are so narrow minded.
Unfortunately, most politicians aren’t the type of person that gets shit done. If you look at any of their resumes, it becomes very apparent that most of them have had little or no success in the free world. What skill set could any of our elected officials truly bring to the table in any situation other than a round table discussion about how to unsuccessfully solve problems with endless amounts of money and no plan? For years no one paid attention to room temperature IQ’s doing just that,and here we are. It is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
Elon Musk fired 75% of the staff at Twitter when he purchased it. Now operating as X, the platform has improved significantly and the business is becoming profitable. It makes one wonder what would happen if real leaders governed??
I took a stroll past "headquarters" this morning. Well, as close as I could get, it's still all fenced off and a no admittance construction project. I heard some hammering and banging and saw some big orange tarps covering most of the building (north). I notice that there's no curbs or sidewalks on the approach road. It's not looking like anyplace I'd be interested in living in. And they're "accepting" applications. Nice. I also noticed that the Tonquin Connector, our walking trail, is still closed and no one is doing anything toward getting it re-opened. My new neighbours. Great.
Public Housing is what everyone wants....Right?.....Just answer "Yes Sir" "We love public Housing". Now shut up and get back inline. The government has a plan for you. There will be no further private developments until the current quotas are used up. Maybe when we are re-elected you can apply for an application to apply for the next round of quota housing, if sufficient profits have been made for the Public Housing Initiative. Now just move along....
6:17 PM. I am so grateful that you are not in charge of anything. The thought that some official would be prying that deeply into the lives and situations of other people, or that someone would support such blatant government interference into the personal lives of the citizens is truly frightening.
What is your next suggestion? Should we be checking into their ancestry going back two generations, seeking to learn if they carry STR genes in their blood? Perhaps STR owners should be required to wear a badge of some kind on their coats so they can be readily identified.
Maybe STR owners should be publicly flogged in the village green? or have their property confiscated and forfeited to the reich.
7:49 You put up a lot of straw men. As if Tofino is going to go after certain ancestry, wearing of badges, checking their genealogy. etc. Of coarse anyone who reads such drivel will find such statements colorful but see them as ridiculous. What you are suggesting is nothing more than a giant headfake to distract from the real issues.
When housing is in such short supply, and in such demand, should absentee owners be allowed to ignore the basic zoning requirement for residential property......that it be primarily residential and not commercial in use. That for residential areas, the use and character of ancillary options be restricted ....As for flogging and confiscations, the Province and then the Municipality have the authority and duty to manage and legislate such issues. and have done so for generations. Your BS is understandable from only one point of view. You are not capable of mounting rational arguments to defend your infantile position.
How many people in Tofino are “ underhoused “ ? That is living in a van , trailer or some form of non-conforming structure ? They are literally everywhere you look. 100 ? 200 ? More ? In Victoria and Vancouver the provincial government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars buying hotels so that people have adequate housing . In Tofino people that don’t qualify for the affordable housing are left to fend for themselves. Council has prioritized tourism over community. That stupid VW van will keep warm tonight.
How many of those living in the VW van choose that lifestyle. Many would rather use their resources to support their own ideology rather than a landlords. If they do choose a roof over their head it’s in a flop house with eight others to keep work to a minimum. Surfs up!!
...and now Trudeau's miracle government is going to even design your home for you.
The federal government is planning to launch a catalogue of pre-approved home designs to speed up the home-building process for developers.
Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced today the federal government will begin a consultation process to develop the catalogue in January.
Fraser says this brings back a policy from the post-Second World War era when the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. developed blueprints to speed up the construction of homes.
A report released this summer co-authored by housing expert Mike Moffatt came with a set of recommendations for the federal government that included developing such a catalogue.
Fraser says the initiative will start with low-rise builds and will then explore a potential catalogue for higher-density construction.
Good God. Don't they understand the problem is too much gov't control. Now Liberal approved designs. Hilarious. They can't get over themselves....Justine...just get out of the way. This may come as a surprise but you are not the center of the universe.
Often overlooked in these cases is the new wave of bureaucrats employed to oversee , implement, and administer these new projects.
For example, carbon tax. You're told that the tax is collected and is then returned to the segments of the population doing the least damage, and the government actually gets nothing. Who knows, this might be true. But the buildings full of bureaucrats and clerks that are required to make it all happen certainly are not free. These career bureaucrats earn higher salaries than most Canadian workers, produce nothing but paperwork, and cost us all a fortune. None of them work for free.
This morning there's a building full of them sitting in Ottawa drawing pictures of houses.
here we are at the usual place about this time of year when a new issue takes over everybody's brain and we all go blank when it comes to thinking about the last water crisis we scraped through this year. And more than ever it became apparent that the district had no regard for the residents. We were asked to shower in a bucket, rent a porta potty, brush our teeth with orange juice etc. so that the neighbours VR guests could continue washing surfboards, cars, surf suits, pets, their friends, and their friends friends as if there was vast abundance of water. There was something morally repugnant about this but it brings me to the much bigger issue plaguing the world right now. its blaming the people going to work every day it's their fault the air in the world is getting warmer. One of the ways us little people can save the environment is to recycle paper clips and rubber bands and don't drive. While our governments big and small blithely fly around in Jets, export coal and bcs best timber to countries who don't give a shit about climate change. And import from the same countries a whole lot of useless crap. The point is if anybody wants to get serious about puking carbon into the environment it's about time unlimited tourism for everybody needs to take a break. Unlimited tourism (VRs that's you) is out of control and it's wrecking communities, towns, cities etc. Too much of a good thing and this government loves it. They love all the gasoline tax hotel tax carbon tax GST PST carbon offsets. How else would they get paid?
If Victoria is short a few hundred hotel rooms who was doing the thinking when Victoria bought up a number of economy style hotels and motels for housing homeless people and drug addicts? How many of those government folks operate vacation rentals? whose plan was that?
@6:20 I don't believe there is an accurate number on that yet. Does it really matter though?
Whether you live in town and run a VR out of your home, live in town and run a VR out of a 2nd home, live out of town and run a VR out of your 2nd home, or even live out of town and let your home sit vacant. All homeowners contribute to Tofino's economy, community, and well being.
Most are also providing housing for long-term residents whether they VR the other side or let it sit empty.
What is it about this that doesn't seem to add up? Can anyone explain it to me?
Ok, so there's too high an inflation rate. This means that consumers are faced with ever higher costs for pretty much everything they buy.
In order to combat this interest rates are increased. We raise the price of borrowing money, in order to keep prices down. Huh? How does that work?
Now, when a homeowner needs a mortage or a renewal or to finance a major purchase or funds to grow his business, his costs increase, along with the increases he already sees in pretty much everything he buys. In the end, the homeowner needs to pay out more and more money, just to stay on the same level he's on currently. He gets no choice. It's pay up or forclosure.
The only people who seem to benefit here are the banks and mortgage holders who are reaping a fortune off of this deal. Wassup with that?
Is the homeowner (ordinary working stiff) supposed to feel good because he's helping in the fight against inflation? Who caused this inflation in the first place?
Seems to me like the only winners here are the government and their political supporters in the banking industry.
Are we all really such suckers that we don't see through this scam? What am I missing here?
Interest Rate in Canada averaged 5.78 percent from 1990 until 2023, reaching an all time high of 16.00 percent in February of 1991 and a record low of 0.25 percent in April of 2009. So we are only slightly above normal rates. The theory of tightening the flow of capital ( raising rates) is that there will be less discretionary spending so demand and prices will fall . We’ve already seen that in the real estate market where there have been sales at less than assessed value in Tofino.
Thanks Ralph. I still feel that we're all being screwed by the bankers, with the government making it possible for them to do so.
I cannot understand how "Joe" renewing his mortgage and facing a $600 a month (or more) increase is doing anything to help the economy in any way, except to fill the pockets of the bankers.
Banks make money even in low interest environments. In higher interest environments banks are generally slow to pass on the higher rates to depositors so will have a few good quarters before increasing savings rates. Royal Bank Of Canada Annual Gross Profit (Millions of US $) 2022 $38,052 2021 $39,521 2020 $35,098 2019 $34,612 2018 $33,086 2017 $31,112 2016 $28,969 2015 $28,465 2014 $31,318 2013 $30,290 2012 $24,603 2011 $24,409 2010 $22,374 2009 $20,175
Go Blackrock Go. F@&king commies.
ReplyDeleteB&B’s (a.k.a. Short-Term Vacation Rentals in residential homes within Ucluelet neighbourhoods)
ReplyDeleteThe proposed changes that Council is considering are to clarify the definition of Bed and Breakfast or “B&B” which is a permitted secondary use in most single-family residential zones. Council is considering differentiating between Traditional B&B’s where guests were welcomed into an owner’s home through the main entrance of the house and the Recent B&B’s where guests access a suite through an exterior door and may or may not interact with the proprietor. If approved the bylaw will continue to permit Traditional B&B’s in residential zones, while the Recent B&B’s with exterior entrances will no longer be a permitted use.
The proposed bylaw amendments would still allow the B&B use but would clarify that new B&B operations are intended to match the scale, character and neighbourhood impact that traditional B&B’s had on Ucluelet neighbourhoods.
On August 2nd, 2022, Council also gave first three readings to Business Regulation and Licensing Bylaw Amendment Bylaw No. 1313. If adopted, the new regulations would apply to all applications for business licences. This would affect both new businesses and the renewal of existing business licences.
Changes to the regulation of Bed & Breakfast accommodation include the following:
The B&B licence must only be for the principal residence of the B&B licence holder.
New requirements for online advertising of B&B’s to show the business licence number, maximum occupancy and number of parking spaces available.
New requirement for B&B’s to post the business licence number, maximum occupancy, maximum number of guest vehicles and owner contact on an approved sign at the property line visible from the public road.
The new advertising requirements would take effect on May 1st, 2023.
From The Canadian Taxpayers Federation:
ReplyDelete"You know Premier David Eby’s response to every problem is to throw a tax at it.
Now the government is leveling more taxes on homes in British Columbia.
Eby says he will expand the speculation and vacancy tax to 13 new municipalities across B.C. The speculation tax is a tax on homes that the government decides aren’t primary residences – things like cottages. You can read more about the tax here.
The government is planning to hit 59 different communities with this tax.
Some of the communities on the government hit list, like Lake Country or Qualicum Beach, are prime cottage country. These are places where you may take your family in the summer and where businesses rely on tourism to survive.
Will you take a few moments to email Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and tell him what you think of the government’s new tax-grab? Here’s his email address: ravi.kahlon.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Thanks for standing up for taxpayers, you’re making a difference.
- Carson Binda, British Columbia Director"
Minister Ravi Kahlon is making some big decisions for us litle folk. Anybody look at his resume? Professional field hockey player who never finished university is all I can find. How do all these unqualified people keep getting appointed to these positions?
ReplyDeleteReply to 1:29 PM. Are you talking about people like a failed marine biologist who gets appointed to oversee projects like the Site C dam and the LNG industry?
ReplyDeleteIt's because our elections are no longer about seeking the best candidate for the job, or deciding the best path for our governments to follow. Our elections have devolved into popularity contests. Paris Hilton and Kanye West are more likely to be elected than some professor from Harvard with eight degrees behind his name.
Can't find a home? Can't afford to eat? Sorry. But "Justin" is just soooo cute.
Some really great letters in favour of opting in coming in to council (and on the next agenda). Great to hear from actual residents of Tofino, thanks for writing.
ReplyDeleteI have read the details of the regulations and would like to see Tofino opt-in in March. The new regulations would not take effect until November giving non-resident STR owners one last summer and allow them to honour any bookings. More than they deserve but that is the way it is.
ReplyDeleteUcluelet is primary residence only for STRs and seems to be doing just fine. Some people there still have real jobs. What a concept.
ReplyDeleteTucker Carlson interviewing Alex Jones tells the story. Play hard now.
ReplyDeleteWith support for the Trudeau government collapsing, it is shocking that the federal New Democrats have stagnated in the polls and failed to win over more young voters. Getting serious on housing might help the party break its malaise.
ReplyDeleteThus far, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has failed to provide credible solutions to this national crisis, a necessity if he wants to stay relevant. Singh’s inadequate grasp of housing policy was made obvious in a recent media interview in which he criticized “luxury condos” and argued that 100 per cent of residential units built on public land should be set aside for affordable homes. His comments made it clear that he is both culturally and economically out of touch.
The term “luxury condos” is often used to describe new housing that is not actually extravagant in any sense. These skyboxes, many of which are studios or one-bedrooms, are far less spacious than the single-family houses that a majority of Canadians live in, which makes them sensible options for middle-class buyers who have been priced out of other parts of the market.
Despite their relative modestness, these units are often mislabelled “luxury” commodities by comfortably housed NIMBYs who, in many cases, misappropriate anti-corporatist language to legitimize their hostility towards neighbourhood change. Absurdly, this allows wealthy homeowners to block small condos for younger Canadians under the cloak of social justice.
It is tone deaf for Singh to embrace this rhetoric. Millennial and Gen Z homeowners do not need to be told that their cramped housing, which they can often barely afford, is extravagant — least of all from a politician who has been criticized for his taste in Rolex watches and Versace bags. That’s just bad optics.
Like many old-school progressives, Singh argued that “luxury condos” are too expensive to improve affordability — but high prices exist only because of the national housing shortage. There is ample evidence from other jurisdictions that if more market-rate housing is built, prices will decline.
....article continues......
ReplyDeleteSingh’s opposition to market-rate housing is myopic, economically illiterate and makes as much sense as attacking agricultural production during a famine — essential commodities do not turn into extravagances just because their prices are inflated by scarcity.
His vision for 100 per cent affordable housing similarly lacks credibility. A deep body of literature shows that residential development becomes financially unsustainable when governments require too many units to be sold below market rates. Construction plummets, which means fewer homes for everyone.
This is why most experts advise that only a minority of units in any development be set aside for affordable housing — the market-rate units keep projects profitable and help subsidize the costs of below-market homes.
When the reporter interviewing Singh pressed him on viability, noting that “developers are going to develop things that are going to give them profit,” he had no response beyond vaguely alluding to “incentives
While public subsidies for affordable housing are important, Singh’s vision cannot succeed without unprecedented public spending that Canada could not remotely afford in the best of times, let alone in the current economy. Our inflation crisis already illustrates why you cannot solve problems by simply firehosing money on them.
When the reporter then asked Singh how he would pay for his plan without stoking inflation, he claimed that as inflation is substantially driven by housing costs, his plan would actually reduce it. For a very long list of reasons, this makes no economic sense whatsoever.
Singh’s muddled understanding of housing, and his inability to articulate clear solutions, is made all the more perplexing when contrasted with the policies and messaging being embraced by his allies and enemies alike.
Over the past two years, it has been widely accepted that Canada suffers from a crippling housing shortage and that this has been largely, though not entirely, caused by overly restrictive regulations that throttle the construction of new homes. Chronic supply shortages have only intensified amid high immigration.
Experts, activists and politicians from across the political spectrum are now demanding that governments cut red tape and “legalize housing” (a popular motto). Their asks are usually clear and specific — i.e. setting higher density targets, tying federal funding to housing completions, streamlining approval processes and reforming zoning policies that block urban densification.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was the first major Canadian political figure to tap into this zeitgeist, which has helped give him a commanding lead in the national polls. He has also expressed his ideas with greater clarity and effort than his competitors — as epitomized by a 15-minute housing documentary he released last weekend, which even critics admitted was compelling.
Yet progressives are tapping in, too. And they are doing so while championing public housing investments that are sensitive to economic reality.
The B.C. NDP recently blitzed the province with several bills that will make it easier to build new homes in urban areas, especially around transit infrastructure. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has pushed for similar reforms while proposing a plan for 25,000 new homes, of which 30 per cent will be set aside for affordable housing. Even the Trudeau government, after years of resistance, is embracing pro-supply reforms and using federal funds to bully municipalities into building more homes.
All of which demonstrates that taking leadership on housing isn’t hard — politicians of all stripes are already doing so. Singh needs to join them.
National Post
I haven’t confirmed this but several sources have told me that Tofino requires more extensive insulation to build than Ucluelet does.
ReplyDeleteThis adds to the cost of building. Meanwhile hundreds of Tofitians are living in trailers or cars with little or no insulation.
The level of insulation in Tofino is on par with Prince George. The buildings are sealed so tightly that they require a pump to introduce fresh air into the house. An electric pump.
Tofino has a reputation amongst developers as being a sort of black hole. Where good proposals go to die. Councils have held ideologically impenetrable standards that have screwed the creation of more housing. Small minds focus on little things ignoring the elephantin the room. Allowing only public housing development has turned us into some kind of communist hell hole. Like get in line for bread. Let the market function. Some growth is not a bad thing unless you are one of those locals who don't want ANY change. This fits into the "Government, just get out of the way"
ReplyDeleteCouncils have used the rationale that their is no water for the development of private sector housing, but in the last decade hundreds of units of private sector tourist accommodation have been constructed. What the _____ is that. "Can't do anything about that" they will say. Go live in the "temporary use zones"
ReplyDeleteThis place is ridiculous Applications for hundreds of units of private sector affordable housing end up in the waste bin. They won't approve anything for private sector housing unless they are legally forced into it. Talk about the "Gatekeepers". Tofino has it bad......worst place in the Province to try to do anything. No doubt there are some "progressives" who think that is just fine. Think about that contradiction.
The west coast is soooo lucky that it is remote and that housing is soooo expensive. With immigration pushing more and more Canadians into homelessness, poverty and drug abuse, at least the coastal communities are not experiencing the strains this puts on local resources. Drive through any other communities on the island and the downtowns resemble something out of a third world country. Oh, and by the way, in 22 days, the next 500,000 will start coming.
ReplyDelete"Tofino. A quaint west coast fishing village of 600 souls nestled in the rainforest of Clayquot Sound"
ReplyDeleteThat's the illusion that's being sold to the world. It's a big lie, a deceptive piece of advertising rhetoric simply put out there to con people into coming here and cheat them out of their money.
So, of course, there must not be any development. That exposes the lie.
Unless it's "affordable" staff housing for the resorts and hotels. That's ok. Who else did you think will be moving into those new apartments?
While were talking about lies let's look at the last 20 years of environmental planning that subverted the politics of Tofino. what was touted as "smart growth" and "sustainable development" eventually we've all come to understand that it really meant no growth and no development. Ha ha the joke is on us because we thought we were being guided by intelligence, experience and goodwill.
ReplyDeleteThrow in the latest hysteria of climate change on all levels of government. When thousands of ocean going freighters and cruise ships added to thousands and thousands of daily private jet flights, commercial jet flights, and large delegations going to climate conferences in far away countries consistently puke out more carbon then most countries in a year, and Canada's best customer for Coal is China, it is unlikely the minuscule amount of carbon emitted by stage 3 building requirements matters.
the climate chicken littles love all the attention getting hysteria they can get so adopt stage 4 building requirements! regardless that Tofino is often the warmest place in Canada in the winter. just like Prince George!
and ignore the common sense observation that glaciers melting are exposing artifacts from 7,000 years ago underneath them. duh! musta been warmer then.
keep up the virtue signalling lies. hire more people. hire more consultants. write more bylaws....no wonder no competent people want to work here. is Tofino a joke?
But now a reversal of that trend is gradually taking hold. In the first six months of 2023 some 42,000 individuals departed Canada, adding to 93,818 people who left in 2022 and 85,927 exits in 2021, official data show.
ReplyDeleteThe rate of immigrants leaving Canada hit a two-decade high in 2019, according to a recent report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), an immigration advocacy group. While the numbers went down during pandemic lockdowns, data data shows it is again rising. While that is a fraction of the 263,000 who came to the country over the same period, a steady rise in emigration is making some observers wary. Emigration as a percentage of Canada’s overall population touched a high of 0.2 per cent in the mid 1990s, and currently stands at about 0.09 per cent.
Immigrants blame the sky-rocketing housing costs as the biggest reason for their decision to leave. In Canada about 60 per cent of household income would be needed to cover home ownership costs, a figure that rises to about
98 per cent for Vancouver and 80 per cent for Toronto, RBC said in a September report.
To 5:11 Could not agree more. I am ashamed of my government. Federal, Provincial and Municipal. They are destroying our country and our village. It is hard to believe the people in power are so narrow minded.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, most politicians aren’t the type of person that gets shit done. If you look at any of their resumes, it becomes very apparent that most of them have had little or no success in the free world. What skill set could any of our elected officials truly bring to the table in any situation other than a round table discussion about how to unsuccessfully solve problems with endless amounts of money and no plan? For years no one paid attention to room temperature IQ’s doing just that,and here we are. It is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
ReplyDeleteElon Musk fired 75% of the staff at Twitter when he purchased it. Now operating as X, the platform has improved significantly and the business is becoming profitable. It makes one wonder what would happen if real leaders governed??
ReplyDeleteI took a stroll past "headquarters" this morning. Well, as close as I could get, it's still all fenced off and a no admittance construction project. I heard some hammering and banging and saw some big orange tarps covering most of the building (north). I notice that there's no curbs or sidewalks on the approach road. It's not looking like anyplace I'd be interested in living in.
ReplyDeleteAnd they're "accepting" applications. Nice.
I also noticed that the Tonquin Connector, our walking trail, is still closed and no one is doing anything toward getting it re-opened.
My new neighbours. Great.
Public Housing is what everyone wants....Right?.....Just answer "Yes Sir" "We love public Housing". Now shut up and get back inline. The government has a plan for you. There will be no further private developments until the current quotas are used up. Maybe when we are re-elected you can apply for an application to apply for the next round of quota housing, if sufficient profits have been made for the Public Housing Initiative. Now just move along....
ReplyDeleteHow many DOT staff own STRs, legal or illegal?
ReplyDeleteAt least 3
ReplyDeleteI recently crunched some random numbers of locals who own second and 3rd STR's I came up with around 19 names it
ReplyDeleteincluded 2 DOT staff .
There may be more that I could not figure out or did not personally already know so I rounded the number to 25 locally owned
STR's that were not primary residence. If you take the population and the number 25 that = 1%. Not a huge number of people
affected who are using housing as a mini hotel style business ( locals ). I am not sure on the number of non resident STR's but I
am sure its more than 1%.
Assuming it is 1% the next question is what is the percentage of the local working residents ( nurses, hotel workers, dental
assistants, bank workers , vet assistants etc...) What percentage of them live in a secure yearly rental or are forced to move
seasonally when their rental turns back into a STR from March to Oct.
2nd what is the percentage of good working locals who can not find any accommodation long term?
3rd what is the percentage of people living in vans and RV's not by CHOICE ?
4th what is the percentage of staff living is less than adequate staff housing that would wish to have their own decent suite to
live in.
These are questions and answers we should have available from the DOT, as if you ask me opting in looks like it will benefit more
than 1% at this point . I only point this out to show that 1% of locals that own non primary STR's would be affected if Tofino
opted in. Obviously for non resident home owners the number affected would be greater. Can opting in fix the problem ? Who
knows, but we have to start somewhere. The DOT has proven they can not enforce their bylaws or we would not be having this
debate-conversation. Does council support residents or non residents ?
6:17 PM. I am so grateful that you are not in charge of anything. The thought that some official would be prying that deeply into the lives and situations of other people, or that someone would support such blatant government interference into the personal lives of the citizens is truly frightening.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your next suggestion? Should we be checking into their ancestry going back two generations, seeking to learn if they carry STR genes in their blood? Perhaps STR owners should be required to wear a badge of some kind on their coats so they can be readily identified.
Maybe STR owners should be publicly flogged in the village green? or have their property confiscated and forfeited to the reich.
You, sir, are a scary piece of work.
At least STRs pay property tax. Van and trailer campers pay nothing.
ReplyDelete7:49 You put up a lot of straw men. As if Tofino is going to go after certain ancestry, wearing of badges, checking their genealogy. etc. Of coarse anyone who reads such drivel will find such statements colorful but see them as ridiculous. What you are suggesting is nothing more than a giant headfake to distract from the real issues.
ReplyDeleteWhen housing is in such short supply, and in such demand, should absentee owners be allowed to ignore the basic zoning requirement for residential property......that it be primarily residential and not commercial in use. That for residential areas, the use and character of ancillary options be restricted ....As for flogging and confiscations, the Province and then the Municipality have the authority and duty to manage and legislate such issues. and have done so for generations. Your BS is understandable from only one point of view. You are not capable of mounting rational arguments to defend your infantile position.
To 8:18 And residential properties are being used for completely commercial purposes and paying residential taxes
ReplyDeleteHow many people in Tofino are “ underhoused “ ? That is living in a van , trailer or some form of non-conforming structure ? They are literally everywhere you look. 100 ? 200 ? More ? In Victoria and Vancouver the provincial government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars buying hotels so that people have adequate housing . In Tofino people that don’t qualify for the affordable housing are left to fend for themselves. Council has prioritized tourism over community. That stupid VW van will keep warm tonight.
ReplyDeleteHow many of those living in the VW van choose that lifestyle. Many would rather use their resources to support their own ideology rather than a landlords. If they do choose a roof over their head it’s in a flop house with eight others to keep work to a minimum. Surfs up!!
ReplyDelete...and now Trudeau's miracle government is going to even design your home for you.
ReplyDeleteThe federal government is planning to launch a catalogue of pre-approved home designs to speed up the home-building process for developers.
Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced today the federal government will begin a consultation process to develop the catalogue in January.
Fraser says this brings back a policy from the post-Second World War era when the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. developed blueprints to speed up the construction of homes.
A report released this summer co-authored by housing expert Mike Moffatt came with a set of recommendations for the federal government that included developing such a catalogue.
Fraser says the initiative will start with low-rise builds and will then explore a potential catalogue for higher-density construction.
The Canadian Press
Good God. Don't they understand the problem is too much gov't control. Now Liberal approved designs. Hilarious. They can't get over themselves....Justine...just get out of the way. This may come as a surprise but you are not the center of the universe.
ReplyDeleteOften overlooked in these cases is the new wave of bureaucrats employed to oversee , implement, and administer these new projects.
ReplyDeleteFor example, carbon tax. You're told that the tax is collected and is then returned to the segments of the population doing the least damage, and the government actually gets nothing. Who knows, this might be true. But the buildings full of bureaucrats and clerks that are required to make it all happen certainly are not free. These career bureaucrats earn higher salaries than most Canadian workers, produce nothing but paperwork, and cost us all a fortune. None of them work for free.
This morning there's a building full of them sitting in Ottawa drawing pictures of houses.
But first, they need to get consultants to show them how to do it. Yep, you're paying for it.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess all housing will look the same. Where have we seen this before, Comrade.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, they have announced that it is alright to say Merry Christmas again. Progress
ReplyDeletehere we are at the usual place about this time of year when a new issue takes over everybody's brain and we all go blank when it comes to thinking about the last water crisis we scraped through this year. And more than ever it became apparent that the district had no regard for the residents. We were asked to shower in a bucket, rent a porta potty, brush our teeth with orange juice etc. so that the neighbours VR guests could continue washing surfboards, cars, surf suits, pets, their friends, and their friends friends as if there was vast abundance of water. There was something morally repugnant about this but it brings me to the much bigger issue plaguing the world right now.
ReplyDeleteits blaming the people going to work every day it's their fault the air in the world is getting warmer. One of the ways us little people can save the environment is to recycle paper clips and rubber bands and don't drive. While our governments big and small blithely fly around in Jets, export coal and bcs best timber to countries who don't give a shit about climate change. And import from the same countries a whole lot of useless crap.
The point is if anybody wants to get serious about puking carbon into the environment it's about time unlimited tourism for everybody needs to take a break. Unlimited tourism (VRs that's you) is out of control and it's wrecking communities, towns, cities etc.
Too much of a good thing and this government loves it. They love all the gasoline tax hotel tax carbon tax GST PST carbon offsets. How else would they get paid?
If Victoria is short a few hundred hotel rooms who was doing the thinking when Victoria bought up a number of economy style hotels and motels for housing homeless people and drug addicts? How many of those government folks operate vacation rentals? whose plan was that?
Some tourism is good..... within limits.
Does anyone have a count on how many STR’s are owned by non residents? Just curious. Thanks
ReplyDelete@6:20
ReplyDeleteI don't believe there is an accurate number on that yet. Does it really matter though?
Whether you live in town and run a VR out of your home, live in town and run a VR out of a 2nd home, live out of town and run a VR out of your 2nd home, or even live out of town and let your home sit vacant. All homeowners contribute to Tofino's economy, community, and well being.
Most are also providing housing for long-term residents whether they VR the other side or let it sit empty.
What is it about this that doesn't seem to add up? Can anyone explain it to me?
ReplyDeleteOk, so there's too high an inflation rate. This means that consumers are faced with ever higher costs for pretty much everything they buy.
In order to combat this interest rates are increased. We raise the price of borrowing money, in order to keep prices down. Huh? How does that work?
Now, when a homeowner needs a mortage or a renewal or to finance a major purchase or funds to grow his business, his costs increase, along with the increases he already sees in pretty much everything he buys. In the end, the homeowner needs to pay out more and more money, just to stay on the same level he's on currently. He gets no choice. It's pay up or forclosure.
The only people who seem to benefit here are the banks and mortgage holders who are reaping a fortune off of this deal. Wassup with that?
Is the homeowner (ordinary working stiff) supposed to feel good because he's helping in the fight against inflation? Who caused this inflation in the first place?
Seems to me like the only winners here are the government and their political supporters in the banking industry.
Are we all really such suckers that we don't see through this scam? What am I missing here?
Interest Rate in Canada averaged 5.78 percent from 1990 until 2023, reaching an all time high of 16.00 percent in February of 1991 and a record low of 0.25 percent in April of 2009.
ReplyDeleteSo we are only slightly above normal rates. The theory of tightening the flow of capital ( raising rates) is that there will be less discretionary spending so demand and prices will fall . We’ve already seen that in the real estate market where there have been sales at less than assessed value in Tofino.
Thanks Ralph. I still feel that we're all being screwed by the bankers, with the government making it possible for them to do so.
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand how "Joe" renewing his mortgage and facing a $600 a month (or more) increase is doing anything to help the economy in any way, except to fill the pockets of the bankers.
Banks make money even in low interest environments. In higher interest environments banks are generally slow to pass on the higher rates to depositors so will have a few good quarters before increasing savings rates.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Bank Of Canada Annual Gross Profit
(Millions of US $)
2022 $38,052
2021 $39,521
2020 $35,098
2019 $34,612
2018 $33,086
2017 $31,112
2016 $28,969
2015 $28,465
2014 $31,318
2013 $30,290
2012 $24,603
2011 $24,409
2010 $22,374
2009 $20,175