Editor: It is another excellent deception by Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson — another tax levy (cash cow) for the city, taxing high-priced real estate and deflecting his role in a runaway industry, at the same time.
Excuse me, but all of Metro’s real estate market is overpriced. Its entire makeup is perception and drivers that echo the stock market — not actual, tangible value.
Housing is now a commodity. There is no density debate amongst Metro residents. Residents know that one million people are coming and they also know they have no say in it.
For most there is only feelings of anxiety and for a few there is the anticipation of a windfall.
It is ironic that the very ambiance that made Metro a magnet is now being destroyed by the capitalists that are creating the market.
The same factors that create this real estate frenzy are creating traffic congestion.
The problem starts with federal government, but every level of government nurses, capitalizes and promotes it. Creating lane-way houses and 300-square-foot lofts may suit a handful of idealists with rose-coloured glasses, but you can’t raise a family of four, five or six in that space.
To the fanatics who argue building more roads only brings more cars, specialty housing will only fuel market-making and higher prices — no studies needed.
Already, road hockey has disappeared. It is against the law to smoke, drink, use air mattresses or beach balls at the beach but it’s OK to ooze your toes through the sand and dog s--t, where the most expensive real estate on the planet (west of Spanish Banks) is now a dog beach.
Last year they actually closed the beach during a heat spike because — wait for it — there were too many people.
The feds already fished out the richest fishing hole in the world in the Grand Banks and it will not recover in our lifetime.
The expected sockeye count on the Adams River last year did not materialize by half. These people can’t manage fish so now they will try managing people?
Metro has been on water rations every summer for as long as I can remember. The million people will also need water and South Surrey ran out of that a few years ago for a couple of days. Maybe Nestle’s will help us out and we can buy some back from them for a dollar a litre.
The foundation is already cracked, people are moving out because all their tax money is being used to finance the future and there is not enough left to look after today.
The cost of this program is far too high.
The locals are being squeezed financially, psychologically and physically. There is no debate. Fix the problem.
Richard Keill
Langley