Excellent value 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom corner suite one floor below the penthouse at the Altadena with views to everything Vancouver has to offer! This bright home features gas fireplace, a large solarium/office, and a flex room/den. Engineered hardwood oak flooring Excellent separation of bedrooms provide for an efficient layout. PETS/RENTALS/Airbnb OK. Re-piped in 2017, and updated common areas. 1 parking, storage locker, and visitor parking. Amenities include renovated gym with steam sauna, theatre room, bike room, and lounge with outdoor patio. Located in the heart of the city & steps to all the wonderful amenities of Vancouver from Vancouver House to local beaches! Onsite caretaker. 24-hour notice required. Buyer to verify all measurements. Measurements by Absolute Measuring.
Wonderful White Rock location! Large 2-bedroom/2-bathroom facing beautiful Bakerview Park in a quiet cul-de-sac. No pets allowed. Rentals allowed, but max of 6 (rentals are currently maxed). No age restrictions. Very pro-active strata - building was rain screened with new cement fibre siding in 2013. New roof was completed in 2019. Great building amenities include club house with piano, hot tub and exercise center. Quick possession available. Walking distance to restaurants and shopping! Buyer to verify all measurements. BC Assessment 885 sq ft. Professionally measured by Keyplan Measuring 1055 sq ft including enclosed solarium.
1 / 3Metro Vancouver apartment prices have levelled off in October 2021 following a sharp increase in cost, according to a new report. Photo: Vancouver ariel angle / Shutterstock
Vancouver apartment prices have levelled off in October following a sharp increase in cost, according to a new report.
Liv.rent, a rental platform based in Vancouver, creates monthly rent reports for the region and finds that most areas of Metro Vancouver haven't seen an increase in prices.
Overall, the average rent for an unfurnished apartment in October in the Metro Vancouver region is $1,800, according to the latest report.
Surrey and Coquitlam offer the most affordable places to rent in October, however. In contrast, West Vancouver saw a spike in rent for unfurnished one-bedrooms, with an increase of 14.53 per cent from September to October.
Interestingly, Metro Vancouver has been seeing lower prices for furnished apartments in comparison to unfurnished ones in areas such as Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, West Vancouver, Coquitlam and New Westminster.
The report authors say this trend has "been happening for several months now in Toronto" and that a similar one could start occurring in Vancouver, where furnished units are cheaper than unfurnished.
Report authors also note that rent has "cooled off slightly" in Downtown Vancouver after rising last month. This trend was observed for both furnished and unfurnished units.
Data gathered on renters’ income-to-rent ratio quarterly shows that Vancouver renters who use liv.rent pay, on average, 35.25 per cent of their income toward rent.
"While traditional financial advice would be to spend no more than 30 [per cent] of your income on rent, this advice is perhaps not well suited to the realities of renting in cities like Vancouver," reads the report.
In October, the most affordable places for square footage are Surrey and Coquitlam while the most expensive is Downtown Vancouver.
Overall, rent per square foot in Metro Vancouver is $2.57 while in Toronto it’s $2.20.
Open House on Saturday, October 2, 2021 2:00PM - 3:00PM
778-839-5442 to make an appointment.
Good, solid house in a great central location steps to everything Vancouver has to offer. Steps to the PNE; Hastings Community Centre & Gym; Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary School; transportation line to UBC; the highway to Whistler and Kelowna; Hastings East Village shops and restaurants; Burnaby Heights; New Brighton Park & swimming pool; minutes to downtown/Yaletown Vancouver. All this convenience in a 4-bedroom/2-bathroom house with mountain view, and an in-law suite downstairs in a cozy, little village-style neighbourhood. The home has been in the family for years featuring a garden of fig trees and roses. Professionally measured by Keyplan. Buyer to verify all property details and measurements.
Gorgeous, renovated 1-bedroom and one-bath leashold condo in a fantastic West End location One block to Beach Ave & English Bay on lovely tree lined street. Renovated, open plan with hardwood and tiled floors. Quiet & peaceful location. Steps to beach, Seawall, Stanley Park, shopping & restaurants. Parking $120 (16) & locker $40 (404) rental can be assigned. Concrete leasehold prepaid until Dec 31, 2073. Well maintained, friendly building. Over the years upgrades include: elevator, roof updated, piping. All details are not to be relied on, and are to be confirmed with the property manager. Maintenance fee: taxes, heat, hot water, gardening, and management. Buyer to verify measurements. Professionally measured by Keyplan.
Good, solid house in a great central location steps to everything Vancouver has to offer. Steps to the PNE; Hastings Community Centre & Gym; Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary School; transportation line to UBC; the highway to Whistler and Kelowna; Hastings East Village shops and restaurants; Burnaby Heights; New Brighton Park & swimming pool; minutes to downtown/Yaletown Vancouver. All this convenience in a 4-bedroom/2-bathroom house with mountain view, and an in-law suite downstairs in a cozy, little village-style neighbourhood. The home has been in the family for years featuring a garden of fig trees and roses. Professionally measured by Keyplan. Buyer to verify all property details and measurements.
Charming family home on one of the prettiest tree lined streets in one of the best locations in East Vancouver. Cozy 4-bedroom/2-bathroom house steps to all Vancouver has to offer in a very quiet, residential location. Large south facing back patio and backyard with garden. Wonderful neighbours, and steps to school, parks, and shopping along not only vibrant Hastings Street, but also the local shops and cates along Nanaimo Street. As Is Where Is. Measurements from Absolute Measuring, and BC Assessment. Buyer to verify all details and measurements.
A home at 6676 Doman Street (left, centre) sold for more than one at 857 West 10th Avenue even though the East Side house sits on a lot with a frontage that is only about half that of the West Side residence.
Late last spring, realtor David Hutchinson pointed to a “new phenomenon” in Vancouver’s housing market.
It’s about homes on the traditionally more affordable East Side of the city getting to be as expensive as those on the affluent West Side.
It seems that in a number of cases, the line dividing the two sides of the city has “blurred”, Hutchinson, a realtor for almost two decades and agent with Sutton Group-West Coast Realty, told the Straight in June this year.
The long-time realtor was reminded of the phenomenon when he drove across Vancouver this weekend.
“As I traveled Saturday through the leafy, tree-lined streets of Vancouver West to the beaches, one can understand the high cost of housing in those neighbourhoods,” Hutchinson related to the Straight on Sunday (September 26).
From there, he went downtown and then through Gastown, proceeded to the East Side of Vancouver, past a busy beer garden at the Parallel 49 Brewing Company and a pop-up concert near Commercial Driveto.
Hutchinson then made his way through the quiet streets of the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood and proceeded south to Killarney, where residential lots are often bigger than the usual 33-foot lots.
From there, he pushed down to the new River District, where a complete community is taking shape.
“I realized that every neighbourhood in Vancouver has its own quality and experiences, and that translates into value for different people,” Hutchinson noted.
“But wherever you see that value, the borders between these neighbourhoods are certainly getting blurred in price,” he added.
A scan of recent sales provided by Hutchinson could illustrate what is happening.
On September 8, an East Side property at 6676 Doman Street sold for $2,828,000.
The Killarney area home sits on a 34-foot lot, which was about half of a 55-foot lot at 3857 West 10th Avenue.
The said West Side property sold on August 26 for less or $2,750,000 to be exact.
Take note that this 3857 West 10th Avenue residence is located in the highly desirable Point Grey neighbourhood of the city.
“The once great divide between East and West is narrowing,” Hutchinson said.
Another example is 3578 Monmouth Avenue on the East Side neighbourhood of Collingwood.
The property sold on September 3 for $2,750,000.
That’s $540,000 more than the sold price of a West Side property at 6457 Ontario Street.
The West Side home in the Oakridge neighbourhood of the city went on September 1 for $2,210,000.
The East Side property at 3578 Monmouth Avenue (left) sold for more than $500,000 compared to the West Side residence at 6457 Ontario Street.
“With increasing home prices on the East side, the gap is turning into a thin, fine line,” Hutchinson said.
Still, the conventional split between East and West holds true generally.
In its latest report, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) noted that the benchmark price of a detached home on the East Side of Vancouver increased to $1,689,700 in August 2021.
Meanwhile, a typical detached home on the West Side of the city in the same month was $3,462,200.
Based on year-over-year increases, prices of single-family homes on the East Side grew at a slightly higher rate of 12.4 percent compared to 12.2 percent on the West Side.
Another example of an East Side home selling for more is 4184 Slocan Street.
The Renfrew Heights residence sits on a 60-foot lot, and it went to a new owner on September 18 for $2,613,000.
Meanwhile, a West Side property in the Southlands neighbourhood sold for less even though it has a bigger lot with a frontage of 65.99 feet.
The said West Side home sold on September 1 for $2,465,500.
The property at 4184 Slocan Street (left) on the East Side sold for more money than 3583 West 50th Avenue.
“With still relatively more affordable prices and close-knit neighbourhoods, the East Side of Vancouver continues to attract families, where they can get a little more bang for their buck, and grow some tomatoes and figs in their backyards, or make some wine in their basements, all to share with their neighbours,” Hutchinson said.
“But with the prices between East and West starting to tighten, one has to wonder where this is all going,” Hutchinson added.
Deciding what to cook for dinner every night is an uphill struggle for many, let alone finding the time to grab groceries and prepare the meals. After a long day at the office, the last thing anybody wants to do is julienne a batch of carrots or tear up over an onion.
Between juggling work and play, whipping up a package of store-bought tortellini topped with a jar of tomato sauce is really all you have time for. Plus, not everyone has the chef skills required to make an elaborate and nutritious meal.
Vancouver-based meal kit service Fresh Prep is a great place to start for those who are short on time or confidence in the kitchen. The local company was voted “Best Meal Kit Service” by readers of the Georgia Straight in this year’s Golden Plates awards.
To show its gratitude, Fresh Prep is offering readers three free meals with the code: SCSTRAIGHT21.
“The customer experience with Fresh Prep is far and away the best meal kit experience in Canada,” says Fresh Prep cofounder and chief operating officer Husein Rahemtulla. “We offer premium-quality ingredients because we actually spend more on ingredients than our competitors. Our customers often tell us that our food is fresher and better quality than any other meal kit service that they’ve tried.”
Eating dinner is the highlight of the day for many so don’t waste it on tasteless takeout or frozen meals. If you’re looking to spice up your current cooking routine, here are three reasons why you should sign up for Fresh Prep.
It’s convenient
Each week, Fresh Prep customers can select from 10 delectable and diverse choices. Half of the recipes are always vegetarian or vegan and there are also gluten-aware and dairy-aware options. Home cooks also have the option to purchase Add-On items like prepared meals, salads, juices, smoothies, plant-based meats, pastas, desserts, pantry staples, and much more.
Meal kit ingredients are pre-cut and pre-portioned, eliminating many steps of the cooking process. This is truly a miracle for those who loathe chopping onions, reducing the time spent and the stress of preparing dinner.
On their selected delivery date, an insulated cooler bag filled with reusable ice packs, recipe cards, and ingredients is brought right to the customer’s doorstep.
It’s sustainable
Fresh Prep has recently introduced its Zero Waste Kits, a reusable container that reduces meal packaging materials, including single use plastic. When a meal doesn’t come in a Zero Waste Kit, it’s packaged in a compostable paper bag with ingredients in soft plastic. To further its sustainability initiatives, Fresh Prep has developed a recycling program for the soft plastics that are rinsed and returned.
Through its partnership with OnFleet, Fresh Prep’s fleet is now carbon neutral as a result of offsetting the emissions of its deliveries.
When it comes to ingredients, the company only uses Oceanwise seafood and sources local whenever possible, further reducing its carbon footprint.
The meals are delicious
With Fresh Prep, you can swap your bowl of instant noodles for Mushroom & Ricotta White Pizza, an Alabama Style Chicken Sandwich, or Sesame-Crusted Seared Tuna. Dishes are often inspired by international cuisines to bring some much-needed excitement to your current cooking routine.
To find out why Fresh Prep has been voted the “#1 Meal Kit Delivery Service” in Vancouver, sign up with the Straight’s exclusive code: SCSTRAIGHT21 and receive three free meals on your first order.
There’s something magnificent about autumn in Whistler. The falling leaves along the Valley Trail are like a magical potion to city dwellers craving to connect with the natural world. In the Village, visitors can stroll to a spa or visit family-owned Armchair Books and the local library rather than face the hassle of hopping into a car. Guests during this time very much appreciate the slower pace and the great value of room rates.
Fall in Whistler holds another attraction for lovers of literature and poetry. That’s because for the past 20 years, the community has been hosting the Whistler Writers Festival, which takes place from October 14 to 17 this year. The event will have in-person and online components, both drawing an impressive crowd of readers, writers, and book lovers.
TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA
This year’s lineup might be its strongest yet, featuring A-listers such as Scotiabank Giller Prize 2021 longlist nominees Omar El Akkad (What Strange Paradise) and Cedar Bowers (Astra), two-time Giller winner M.G. Vassanji (What You Are), and Booker Prize longlist nominee Mary Lawson (A Town Called Solace). Other high-profile authors and poets this year include George Elliott Clarke, Ivan Coyote, Joy Fielding, Shaena Lambert, Canisia Lubrin, Linden MacIntyre, Alexandra Morton, Alix Ohlin, and Howard White, who founded Harbour Publishing.
“Right from the start, it’s been about balancing those high-profile names with authors who are emerging,” Whistler Writers Festival founder and artistic director Stella Harvey said. “A lot of times, I’ve had feedback from participants who say I came to see so-and-so but I discovered this author. That’s always been important to me.”
The Whistler Writers Festival also offers workshops for aspiring writers, most of which are in-person but also available via livestreaming.
Harvey is especially proud of the number of the first-rate Indigenous writers at this year’s festival. This reflects her longstanding belief that the Whistler Writers Festival must be an inclusive event so that whoever attends can see themselves reflected back to them on-stage.
The headliner for the Saturday Night Gala is Thomas King (The Inconvenient Indian) in conversation with Anishinaabe journalist Tanya Talaga. King, whose father is Cherokee, was the first person of Indigenous ancestry to deliver the Massey Lectures, which led to his 2003 book The Truth About Stories.
Harvey quipped that King is like a hero to her. But she’s also excited by other Indigenous writers at this year’s festival, including Darrel J. McLeod and Lisa Bird-Wilson. McLeod, who is from the Nehiyaw (Cree) First Nation, won the 2018 Governor General’s Literary Award for Mamaskatch. His new book, Peyakow: Reclaiming Cree Dignity, examines how personal and historical trauma influenced his life, which included working as a school principal, treaty negotiator, and senior official at the Assembly of First Nations.
“He’s incredibly courageous and open in terms of his life experiences—sexual abuse, separation from family and his culture—and somehow he finds his way,” Harvey said.
McLeod will also lead a conversation with Talaga at the festival about her books Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City and All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward.
Meanwhile, Bird-Wilson, a Saskatchewan Métis and nêhiyaw writer, won several awards for her 2013 book Just Pretending, including the 2019 One Book, One Province honour. Her latest novel is Probably Ruby. One of the most famous Indigenous writers at the festival is Tomson Highway. His father was a caribou hunter and world championship dogsled racer; he describes his mother as a “bead-worker and quilt-maker extraordinaire”. Highway is also a nationally renowned playwright, novelist, and pianist who wrote the libretto for the first opera in the Cree language. His memoir Permanent Astonishment is a finalist for the 2021 Hilary Weston Writer’s Trust Prize for Nonfiction.
TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA
Whistler has become a cultural hub in recent years, thanks in part to the opening of the spectacular Audain Art Museum in 2016. Designed by Patkau Architects, the permanent collection showcases a stunning collection of Indigenous masks and other Indigenous works, including The Dance Screen (The Scream Too), a finely carved red cedar dance screen by Haida Chief 7idansuu (James Hart). It also includes internationally renowned contemporary British Columbia artists such as Jeff Wall, Emily Carr, Dana Claxton, Marianne Nicolson, and Stan Douglas.
Those interested in exploring Indigenous culture will also be attracted to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, which is in the Upper Village. It evokes the feeling of a Squamish Longhouse and Lil’wat Istken (earthen dwelling). The building’s Great Hall offers incredible insights into the cultures of these two First Nations, featuring hand-carved cedar welcome figures and a series of cedar canoes, some suspended from the air, all in a bright space revealing mountain and forest views.
For those who want to experience the forest in all of its glory, the Whistler Writers Fest has that covered, too.
CBC Radio host Grant Lawrence will moderate a walk with festivalgoers and three writers—McLeod, White, and Ohlin—through the woods in Lost Lake Park. Harvey noted that participants will stop at various places along the trail for author readings and to sip hot chocolate.
“That event is incredibly popular,” Harvey said. “It goes on whether there’s rain or shine.”
The Whistler Writers Festival runs from Thursday, October 14, to Sunday, October 17. Book your literary getaway at whistler.com/writersfestival. Fall offers great value on accommodation with rooms from $129 per night plus a free $100 dining voucher when you book a stay of three nights or more.
Welcome to Anchor Point! Great Investment opportunity potential for RE-DEVELOPMENT in the future. Bright unit with multiple upgrades, lovely very quiet balcony with views to the inner courtyard. Convenient location with great access to transportation, two blocks away from Beach Avenue and the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. Conveniences such as shops, coffee shops, pharmacies, and banks are all within walking distance. This condo can be great rental income or live in and enjoy the roof top patio for entertaining, watching sunsets and the firework displays. Building includes shared laundry, parking (available for rent), roof top patio and lounge. Hot water and heat are included in the maintenance fee. Strata plan shows 538 sq ft. Professionally measured by KeyPlan Measuring. Buyer to verify.
Excellent value 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom corner suite one floor below the penthouse at the Altadena with views to everything Vancouver has to offer! This bright home features gas fireplace, a large solarium/office, and a flex room/den. Excellent separation of bedrooms provide for an efficient layout. Next door is the exclusive Burrard Place development. PETS/RENTALS/Airbnb OK. Re-piped in 2017, and updated common areas. 1 parking, storage locker, and visitor parking. Amenities include renovated gym with steam sauna, theatre room, bike room, and lounge with outdoor patio. Located in the heart of the city & steps to all the wonderful amenities of Vancouver from Vancouver House to local beaches! 24-hour notice required. Buyer to verify all measurements. Measurements by Absolute Measuring.
Wonderful White Rock location! Large 2-bedroom/2-bathroom facing beautiful Bakerview Park in a quiet cul-de-sac. No pets allowed. Rentals allowed, but max of 6 (rentals are currently maxed). No age restrictions. Very pro-active strata - building was rain screened with new cement fibre siding in 2013. New roof was completed in 2019. Great building amenities include club house with piano, hot tub and exercise center. Quick possession available. Walking distance to restaurants and shopping! Buyer to verify all measurements. Professionally beasured by Keyplan Measuring.
Vancouver has been ranked the greenest city in the world for its recycling rate that increased from 40 per cent to over 60 per cent in just over a decade. Photo via Aolin Chen / Getty Images
Vancouver has been ranked the greenest city in the world due to its recycling protocol.
BusinessWaste.co.uk, a waste management company in the United Kingdom, ranked the world's greenest cities according to their recycling habits. Cities with the best protocol made the top 15 list, while those who don’t make the grade were ranked in the bottom five.
Report authors note that most people are "aware of what can and cannot be given a new lease of life through the recycling process" but that some cities have created innovative ways to reduce waste.
"Countries the world over are tackling waste in innovative and interesting ways, but many lag behind," said Mark Hall, founder of BusinessWaste.co.uk.
“The challenge over the next decade will be bringing all cities to a standard where waste reduction is made part of policy, not merely a target to let slide by – and in the meantime technology and science continue to innovate to make our collective impact on the planet less harmful."
Vancouver was awarded the top honour of the "greenest city" in the world. The city was described as "Canada’s shining jewel when it comes to recycling" and praised for increasing its recycling rate from 40 per cent to over 60 per cent in just over a decade.
Singapore City followed Vancouver in second, with report authors noting that the South Asian metropolis generates "an impressively small amount of landfill waste per person each year."
Copenhagen came third and was lauded for its impressive 70 per cent recycling rate and accessible "door-to-door collections."
On the other end of the spectrum, Mexico City was ranked the world's worst city for recycling. Report authors write: "The city closed its largest landfill site, where over 70 million tonnes of waste are already buried and causing environmental problems, almost a decade ago, leading to illegal dumping grounds forming and streets piled high with waste."
Vancouver’s luxury real estate market is always full of dreamy, wow-worthy homes with even more wow price tags.
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Roomvu shared its most expensive properties from August that will give you serious sticker shock.
If you take a look at the top five most expensive new listings in the city, you’ll see that nothing on that list is under $11 million. To get a mortgage on that, you’d need around 20% down, or $2.2 million.
Unique Features: Stacked with luxury finishings like Italian marble tiles, custom Kohler sinks, and high-end appliances, the place also has a five-car garage and a luxe home theatre.
Other Features: This Shaughnessy mansion sprawls across eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
Unique Features: Feel like you’re living in the future with a completely automated smart home system. Plus the private home theatre is the perfect spot for movie night.
Other Features: With eight bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, this eye-catching Shaughnessy mansion was newly built in 2019.
Unique Features: This is a Tudor-style South Granville mansion that looks straight out of the movies. There’s a tennis court and a swimming pool. The place is so large that you can split it up into four different lots if you want.
Other Features: This seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom home has lots of giant trees all around the property.
Unique Features: What makes this home worth the price tag is that it’s actually large enough to build a second home on the lot. There’s also an exercise pool, steam shower, hot tub, sauna, and a custom theatre room.
Other Features: This open-plan seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom house was built in 2003.
It would be curious to visit the BC's Land Registry Office and see the names regarding ownership and then contact the Canada Revenue Agency and see whether money was earned in Canada, how much and when. If nothing adds up, call in the RCMP and CSIS. Seizure of property going to the taxpayer is a win.
3 DAYS AGO
Oh, Daily Hive you must be salivating.
Money! Money!! Money!!!
Ohhhhhhhh….. •_•
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It spans 30,000 sq ft of space in the East Mews of the newly built outdoor mall area, with the H&M Home part of the store — located on the ground level — accounting for about a quarter of the store’s overall footprint.
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M Home offers contemporary decor and home accessors for every room in the home, with styles for pillows, bedding, home storage, dinnerware and tableware, rugs, bath and shower, blankets, cookware, and toys.
Along with H&M Home, this store also features H&M’s typical departments, with women’s clothing in areas of both floors, and men’s, children’s, and more women’s clothing sections in the second level.
This is only the fourth H&M store in Canada to have a H&M Home department, with the other locations at West Edmonton Mall, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, and CF Carrefour Laval in Montreal.
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M at The Amazing Brentwood with H&M Home (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
H&M also recently completed a significant expansion and renovation of its flagship store at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver, growing its footprint to nearly 40,000 sq ft over three levels.
With an end to the pandemic now in sight, businesses at TAB are starting to ramp up their activities at the new mall for planned openings over the coming weeks and months.
Welcome to Anchor Point! Great Investment opportunity potential for RE-DEVELOPMENT in the future. Bright unit with multiple upgrades, lovely balcony, and very quiet with views to the inner courtyard. Convenient location with great access to public transportation, two blocks away from Beach Avenue and a 5 minute walk to Vancouver Aquatic Centre. Conveniences such as grocery stores, coffee shops, pharmacies, and banks are all within walking distance. This condo can be a great rental income or live in and enjoy the roof top patio for entertaining, watching sunsets and the firework displays. Building includes shared laundry, parking (available for rent), roof top patio and lounge. Hot water and heat are included in the maintenance fee.
Douglas Todd: 'Get real' estate! Five reasons to doubt Trudeau’s housing promises
Opinion: In light of the prime minister showing no previous intent to protect the young from soaring prices, it is stunning to see him now act like a white knight taking on an unjust real-estate system
Justin Trudeau, touring a housing complex this summer in Hamilton, Ont., is now taking on the role of housing affordability activist, despite prices jumping more than 50 per cent cent under his watch as prime minister, says columnist Douglas Todd.PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON /The Canadian Press files
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Justin Trudeau has abruptly switched into the role of housing-affordability radical.
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But it remains to be seen how many Canadians will buy the Liberals’ brazen new wave of promises — including a ban on foreign purchases, a tax on property flipping and restrictions on exploitive real-estate agents — since there is much cause for skepticism.
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Weighing the party’s credibility is crucial since polls are suddenly showing housing affordability (not COVID) is one of the electorates’ top concerns. That’s like the B.C. election in 2017, which saw provincial Liberal leader Christy Clark, who relied heavily on developer donations, turfed in favour of the NDP.
All federal parties’ housing platforms require scrutiny, but here are five reasons voters are justified in feeling suspicious about the prime minister’s sudden conversion to housing activist, a persona he adopted last week to profess: “You shouldn’t lose a bidding war on your home to speculators. It’s time for things to change.”
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1. Trudeau has done remarkably little to address an expanding housing crisis
This glaring reality was captured in a recent devastating sound bite, when a heckler at a Trudeau rally in Ontario bellowed: “You had six years to do something. You’ve done nothing. These houses are worth $1.5 million. Are you going to help us pay $1.5 million? Are you, buddy?”
While in power, Liberal promises to address soaring prices have added up to zero. Take, for instance, the commitment Trudeau made in B.C. during the 2019 campaign, to bring in a one-per-cent tax on purchases by “non-resident, non-Canadians.” Nothing happened.
Many Liberals, federal and provincial, have long claimed it’s xenophobic to restrict foreign buyers in Canada. They’re only now toning down their race-baiting.
The Liberals have long failed to address foreign capital flooding into real estate — as revealed, yet again, this week. A South China Morning Post article by Ian Young showed Ottawa spent five years covering up an old Canada Revenue report detailing how “rich migrants made more than 90 per cent of luxury purchases” in Burnaby and Coquitlam “while declaring refugee-level incomes.”
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It also became even harder in the past few days to accept Trudeau’s authenticity on taxing house flipping when it was uncovered the Liberals’ star candidate in Vancouver-Granville had flipped 21 properties. Liberals’ coziness with real-estate insiders runs deep (as it does for many politicians).
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Douglas Todd: Canadian real-estate market better for foreign investors than locals, admits housing secretary
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Douglas Todd: B.C. court decision clears way for federal action on foreign ownership
2. The Liberals have purposely increased ‘demand’ for housing
It’s impossible to believe the prime minister doesn’t comprehend that monetary policy — in the form of extremely low interest rates and his government’s rapid printing of money in response to the pandemic — have helped jack up prices.
While the Liberals are joining the Conservatives and NDP in making big pledges to increase the construction of housing, many analysts are shocked that some promises Trudeau is making will further inflate prices.
Trudeau’s talk about tax-free housing accounts for first-time buyers, along with other credits, will super-charge demand even more, particularly among young people who can’t afford to stretch further. The size of new mortgages in Canada are soaring far into the danger zone.
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It looks, however, like many millennials aren’t buying the new Liberal rhetoric; Leger polling has found the party has been losing support among young adults.
3. Ottawa has done little to combat money laundering via real estate
Prominent housing analyst Stephen Punwasi says former Vancouver Sun reporter Sam Cooper’s book, Wilful Blindness: How A Network of Narcos, Tycoons and CCP Agents Infiltrated The West, is “the most important book on Canadian real estate you’ll read this year.”
Wilful Blindness describes how transnational multi-millionaires and criminals, rooted in China, Mexico and elsewhere, have exploited the country’s real estate, which is “Canada’s soft spot for economic infiltration.” Cooper’s book describes many egregious examples of how “dirty” offshore money has been transformed into “clean” money through Canadian housing, especially via property flipping.
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What have the Liberals done to crack down on money laundering in urban real estate? Though the Liberals said they would gradually direct $69 million into strengthening RCMP investigation of money laundering, B.C. Attorney General David Eby and others have urged Ottawa to go much further — and institute U.S.-style racketeering laws, which are credited with dismantling Mafia families.
4. The Liberals keep hiking immigration levels
Economists — from banks, universities and developers’ organizations — have in recent years acknowledged one of the biggest factors affecting Canadian housing and prices is population growth through immigration.
UBC geographer Dan Hiebert has found the typical value of a detached Metro Vancouver home owned by a new immigrant in 2017 was $2.3 million, $800,000 higher than a dwelling owned by a Canadian-born person.
An SFU study found “hidden foreign ownership,” particularly through satellite families in which breadwinners make their money offshore, is a significant reason prices have no connection to local wages. It all adds up to help cut into the hopes of both domestic Canadians and newcomers with modest resources.
Source: Steve Saretsky, Vancouver housing analyst
5. It’s worse than ironic Trudeau now says, ‘The deck is stacked against you’
Who knows if the identity switch will get votes? But Trudeau’s latest self-image echoes that of the Liberals’ talkative housing secretary, Adam Vaughan, who in April let slip that Canada is “a very safe market for foreign investment, but not a great market for Canadians looking for choices around housing.”
While Vaughan revealed the Liberals’ strategy has been to support “a very good system of foreign investment creating a lot of new housing in Canada as we add immigrants and grow the population,” he cautioned it would be terrible to bring in any policy that could cause homeowners to see “10 per cent of the equity in their home suddenly disappear overnight.”
There it is. Two months ago the Liberals were firmly on the side of homeowners wanting to profit. Last week Trudeau suddenly became a champion of those frozen out of ownership.
You’re forgiven for thinking you are witnessing pure electoral posturing.
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18 HRS AGO
Nobody believes anymore what trudeau says.
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23 HRS AGO
The jury is still out re: "money-laundering"; the Cullen Commission Report is due out in December and that will be the report that counts and will serve as any sort of reference. In other words;, everything is allegations, speculation and hearsay until then. So, no need to put the cart before the horse.
As far as immigration is concerned; immigrants never prevented serious housing corrections here or anywhere else in the past; therefore, there is no need to assign them any undue influence on the upside.
As for the rest of it? Trudeau has had six years to address runaway housing costs; time for him to knock it off with all the hollow promises we have all heard before.
In any case, August will mark the fifth consecutive month of sales declines in the area served by the REBGV. Anyone considering buying now (particularly first time buyers) should do some serious navel-gazing before doing so.
Feel free to join the Metro Vancouver Housing Collapse Facebook group and share/discuss up to date housing information with thousands of others. EDITED
1 DAY AGO
I really hope people read this before voting. Having a roof overhead is a human requirement - if food had gone up by this much there would be rioting in the streets.
1 DAY AGO
Trudeau is always making promises during elections, but he never keeps them. He started with the promise to reform our election system...didn't happen. His words are hollow.
1 DAY AGO
Same as Horgan, he promised the affordable housing, but the housing prices jump double since the last BC election.
VANCOUVER -- For years former MLA David Chudnovsky made it a crusade to obtain the sales contract of Little Mountain social housing in Vancouver, and on Tuesday morning he proudly held up the document in front of television cameras and reporters.
“Here it is. The contract we’ve been asking for,” Chudnovdky said, admitting he didn’t like the details in the purchase-and-sale agreement, calling it a “sweetheart deal” for the developer.
The circumstances around sale of the prime land near Queen Elizabeth Park have been a mystery since Holborn Properties Ltd. purchased the land in 2008.
The 15-acre parcel was bought for $344 million. Hundreds of low-income families were evicted and their old homes destroyed.
Holborn promised to build more social housing, but so far only a few dozen new units have been built.
The contract obtained by CTV News through the Freedom of Information process, shows the developer received a loan from the province of $211 million, which is interest-free until Dec. 31, 2026. There also appeared to be no clear deadline as to when most of the development needs to be complete.
“Where'd they get that money? They got it from us, the people of British Columbia,” said Chudnovsky. “This Holborn development has been a colossal failure, an embarrassment to the people of Vancouver, and an insult to homeless and under-housed people in B.C.”
The agreement was negotiated by the provincial government at the time, the B.C. Liberals.
“British Columbians expect government to work with municipalities and the industry to create supportive housing. That was the goal of this project and, while proceeds of the sale were used to develop more than 2,100 new supportive housing units across B.C., clearly the intended outcomes have not been met to date,” wrote Interim B.C. Liberal leader Shirley Bond in a statement issued Tuesday.
“We need to understand why this lack of progress, which is far too common, occurred and how we ensure that all levels of government can improve to prevent significant delays from happening.”
CTV News reached out to Holborn Properties Ltd, but the company has not responded.
Chudnovsky called for a public inquiry and wants the sale renegotiated.
RELATED IMAGES
Signs on the fence surrounding Vancouver's Little Mountains lands on Aug. 31, 2021.
Totally redesigned home in the past few years. Notable features of this home incl custom maple cabinets with tile flooring, hardwood floors that span throughout the living area, laminate floors that cover the bedrooms, & full 4pc main bathroom including a spacious tub. The downstairs suite contains a separate entry point that houses a 2 bedroom suite perfect as a mortgage helper. The whole house has been tastefully renovated to include newly installed vinyl windows & upgraded motor & parts fireplace perfect for the wintertime. Backyard comes with a shed perfect for those who love to garden or need a place to store their outdoor gear. House is situated in the best neighborhood w/close proximity to transit, SFU, & Lougheed Shopping Centre.
The 3701-1495 Richards Street property features a 1,600-square-foot terrace where the sellers have hosted a lot of gatherings.
Vancouver realtor Tyler MacDonald has a listing for a $7 million penthouse in Yaletown.
The sellers of 3701-1495 Richards Street are his own parents, and his father happens to be former professional hockey player Blair Neil Joseph MacDonald.
Known in the hockey world as B.J. MacDonald, the athlete was part of the Vancouver Canucks team that made its first Stanley Cup finals appearance in 1982.
The elder MacDonald also played in the Edmonton Oilers with the legendary Wayne Gretzky.
In a phone interview, his realtor son told the Straight that B.J. and wife Lisa are “looking to downsize slightly”.
“They spend a lot of time down at their place in Tullum, and then they also have a boat that they spend the majority of the summer on,” MacDonald said.
Tullum is on the Carribbean coast of Mexico, and known for its beaches and Mayan ruins. It is called the Mayan Riviera.
MacDonald related that his parents bought the Yaletown penthouse pre-sale in 2003, and have updated it a number of times.
His mother Lisa is a designer, and she did everything for the penthouse at the Azura II highrise condo.
“She actually designed my own personal house,” Century 21 In Town Realty agent also said.
Blair Neil Joseph "B. J." MacDonald was part of the team when the Vancouver Canucks made its first Stanley Cup finals in 1982.NHL
The three-bedroom, three-bath condo includes a 1,600-square-foot terrace, where B.J.and Lisa have hosted a lot of guests.
A previous listing describes the 3701-1495 Richards Street property as a “paradise in the sky”.
Overlooking English Bay, Bowen Island, and North Shore mountains, one can “take in incredible sunsets while relaxing in your hot tub overlooking the sparkling city lights”.
MacDonald said that the listing was taken off the market last year, and now it has returned as an exclusive listing.
An exclusive listing means that only a number of realtors and potential buyers are given access.
The Straight learned about the penthouse when it asked another Vancouver realtor if there are celebrity property listings in the market.
On August 21, this paper reported that singer and songwriter Sarah McLachlan finally sold her Whistler retreat for $11.5 million.
McLachland’s luxury home, which she designed, spent seven years on and off the market.
David Hutchinson with Sutton Group-West Coast Realty has a client looking with a condo that has a big patio, and the agent found B.J. MacDonald’s property.
Hutchinson got in touch with the younger MacDonald, and referred the Straight to the Century 21 In Town Realty agent.
“When I first came across this penthouse for a client specifically looking for a large penthouse with generous outdoor space and views, I realized I not only knew the realtor,” Hutchinson told the Straight.
“I also realized that the seller was a famous hockey player,” the Vancouver realtor said. “I think there is some allure to purchasing a property from a famous person, and adds some value.”
Hutchinson also related that he recently sold a home that belongs to the family of a professional athlete with the Canadian Football League and National Football League.
“Is there extra value for these properties because of the name attached? I think it certainly makes the property more appealing,” Hutchinson said.
Inside 3701-1495 Richards Street.
The 3701-1495 Richards Street penthouse has a 2021 assessed value of $4,493,000.
Its previous listing had an original asking price $6,998,000. The price was later reduced to $5,998,000.
Going back to MacDonald of Century 21 In Town Realty, he said that he treats his seller-parents the same way as he deals with other clients.
MacDonald wants to keep it professional.
“Business is business,” he said.
As for the 3701-1495 Richards Street penthouse, MacDonald said that his parents “hosted a lot of great get-togethers and parties” at the place.
“They do feel really sad to let it go,” MacDonald said.
The 2956 Palmerston Avenue estate spent 155 days on the market.
The listing says the extravagant West Vancouver home is “too amazing to describe in words”.
It did actually.
“This spectacular custom built completely renovated residence is situated on one of the most stunning almost 1 acre properties,” the listing said about 2956 Palmerston Avenue.
Moving on, “The home offers approximately 11,000 square feet of complete luxury, 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and several dens. The floor plan is incredible with the entrance foyer opening to a huge living and dining room with 30 foot high ceilings.”
Outside, “The maturely landscaped property has a gated circular driveway and water feature at the front and a sun soaked, private swimming pool, hot tub, gazebo and huge level yard and sport court at the back.”
And inside, “There is a climate controlled wine room, gym, workshop, complete outdoor entertainment kitchen, and self-contained nanny suite.”
The 2956 Palmerston Avenue property has a 2021 assessment of $8,242,000.
On March 8, 2021, Sutton Group-West Coast Realty listed the mansion on the market for $16,880,000.
Based on tracking by real-estate information site Zealty.ca, the residence spent 155 days on the market before it was finally sold.
On August 11, the property went to a new owner for $10,800,000.
This means that sold price was 36 percent below asking, for a discount of $6,080,000.
Zealty noted that the sale was reported on August 18.
The property information site also tracked the sales history of 2956 Palmerston Avenue.
It was previously listed on November 25, 2019 for $13,880,000, and this expired on November 26, 2020 with the same asking price.
The luxury home was last sold on November 28, 2016 for $10.1 million two weeks after it was listed on November 14 in that year for $10,998,000.
Prior to this sale, the residence changed hands on August 20, 2012 for $6.8 million. This sale followed a May 2 listing in that year with an asking price of $7,498,000.
Earlier in the same year of 2012, the West Vancouver abode was listed for $7,998,000 on January 30. The listing was terminated on May 1, 2012 at the same price.
Cody the Columbian Boa snake has been found safe after it was reported missing by its owner Thursday. (Courtesy Facebook/Jessica Billings)
SUMMARY
The Colombian boa constrictor was found hours after it was reported missing
The snake's owner, a 32-year-old woman, woke up Thursday morning to find the tank empty
Cody is said to be safe and sound and back in her enclosure
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — An eight-foot-long snake that went missing in Vancouver’s South Granville neighbourhood while its owner was sleeping has reportedly been found safe.
In a Facebook post, a person saying she is the owner of the Columbian boa constrictor says the serpent “snuck in through a small opening where there used to be a fireplace.”
“Sorry to cause any fear, but so glad Cody is safe and sound,” the post on a community page reads.
There are no reports anyone was injured by the snake, and ‘Cody’ is believed to be in good health.
The Colombian boa was said to have been on the loose after it was believed the reptile had escaped from an apartment near Granville Street and West 14th Avenue, the Vancouver Police Department said Thursday.
“It is believed to be docile but please take care in the area and report any sightings to police,” says a social media post from police.
A spokesperson confirmed the snake’s owner, a 32-year-old woman, woke up Thursday morning to find the tank empty.
“It likely slipped out an open window,” says an email.
Although not venomous and popular as a pet, this type of snake can be dangerous.
“Their jaws are lined with small, hooked teeth for grabbing and holding prey while they wrap their muscular bodies around their victim, squeezing until it suffocates. Boas will eat almost anything they can catch, including birds, monkeys, and wild pigs. Their jaws can stretch wide to swallow large prey whole,” according to National Geographic.
“They are excellent swimmers, but prefer to stay on dry land, living primarily in hollow logs and abandoned mammal burrows.”
The reptiles are found in Central and South America, can also climb surfaces well, and travel up to speeds of 1.6 km/h. They are solitary, nocturnal, and described as ambush hunters.
“The reason red tail boas are so popular is due in part to their typically docile temperament. They aren’t usually aggressive snakes but even if they aren’t upset they can do damage to a person quite easily,” according to one pet care blog.
“Red-tailed boas need to be seriously considered before being purchased due to their strength, size, the amount they eat, and their ability to constrict.”
The same blog says the most important thing to consider when setting up an enclosure for this type of reptile is security.
“All snakes are escape artists and will push through unlocked lids and squeeze through small openings.”
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Vancouver has been ranked the greenest city in the world for its recycling rate that increased from 40 per cent to over 60 per cent in just over a decade. 
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