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D. M. Johnston's avatar

Well said!

I do not live in Vancouver but owned a store in the downtown for almost 25 years and earlier playing rugby for a Vancouver team, I got to know the city very well.

Vancouver worked because it was quirky, fun and interesting.

Today, Vancouver is a drab collection of 'Lego' designed buildings and chain stores, with a Starbucks every few blocks. What made Vancouver quirky and fun is quickly being replaced with cheap vertical (soon to be slums) warehouses (I have corrected this typo as I originally put whorehouse, but that of course refers to 453 W.12th) for those who can afford. Those who cannot afford Vancouver travel further and further east to find cheap accommodations or live in tents, campers and motor-homes.

With the insane quest for density, traffic congestion is increasing almost exponentially made worse by with the very poor transit planning, The current myth that the "Broadway subways will cure congestion" is a myth borne by grossly ignorant politcans, who repeat lies so often, the public now believes it.

Today, Vancouver is a rudderless Titanic, crashing into a massive financial/planning iceberg and those making small fortunes from the current VooDoo planning, will, of course, will be first in the lifeboats, leaving the rest to drown in ever higher taxes and mismanagement.

Vancouver's time has come and gone and what is left is a very poorly written pantomime sketch, with little humour and a rotten plot.

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Linsea O'Shea's avatar

Beginning with Gregor Robertson, continuing through Kennedy Stewart, and now under Ken Sim, Vancouver has seen a decline that marks the end of its former glory. This unfortunate trajectory is irreversible. I urge you, Brian, to compile all your communications into a book to document those who are responsible, complicit, and profiting from the destruction of the very communities that made our city beautiful and unique. The homes being constructed are the size of closets and are unaffordable & unlivable. Despite being heavily taxed to fund social housing, very few units are actually being built. Developers prioritize their profits over the construction of livable homes. Rents and sale prices are pegged to the market, with "affordable" housing defined as merely 10% below market rates. This system operates like a Ponzi scheme. In short, our city is being destroyed to build closets that the average Vancouverite cannot afford and vacation rentals that remain mostly empty.

Keep writing and documenting Brian.

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