The Courier, Business in Vancouver and 麻豆传媒映画is Awesome co-hosted the first mayoral debate of the election campaign Monday night. Here鈥檚 what eight of the candidates had to say on a myriad of issues.聽
Due to the format of the debate, all of the candidates were not asked the same questions.
When asked about what they would do to help renters in the city, YES Vancouver鈥檚 Hector Bremner said that his new party would implement a three-year action to approve 50,000 to 70,000 more rental units for 鈥渢hose that need it鈥� and aim to 鈥減rioritize and cut the red tape鈥� and cut the community amenity contributions that, he said, have triggered many rentals to be turned into condos.
Independent candidate Kennedy Stewart said he would commit to creating 85,000 new housing units in the city over the next 10 years, 60 per cent for renters and 25,000 units at below market rental rates. He also said that in the meantime he would bring in a renters鈥� advocate.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to look after current renters,鈥� he said.
Fred Harding, with 麻豆传媒映画1st, also targeted the city鈥檚 community amenity contributions (CACs), which are in-kind or cash contributions developers must pay when the city grants a rezoning permit.聽聽
Harding gave the example of one case where a developer had to pay $43 million in CACs.
鈥淭hat gets passed on to rent,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not sustainable. It鈥檚 untenable and we really have to do something about CACs.鈥�
He said the party would reduce, if not eradicate, CACs.聽
In talking about what types of housing should be allowed in the city鈥檚 single-family neighbourhoods, Non-Partisan Association candidate Ken Sim criticized the current Vision 麻豆传媒映画council for 鈥渢rying to ram something through that will fundamentally change how our city looks鈥� 鈥� a public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday that will determine whether duplexes will be permitted in most single-family neighbourhoods, with staff looking at the possibility of allowing triplexes, fourplexes and four-storey apartments in low density neighbourhoods.
Sim said there needs to be a city-wide plan and promised consultation with all residents.
Independent candidate Shauna Sylvester said the policy is coming 鈥渧ery, very late鈥� and it fails to provide an affordable mechanism for upzoning.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the problem.鈥�
ProVancouver鈥檚 David Chen said the party has always advocated for a city-wide plan.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just open up the streets to development without a plan.鈥�
On the issue of bikes lanes, Coalition 麻豆传媒映画candidate Wai Young, more than once, reiterated her campaign promise to tear out the new 10thAvenue bike lane by 麻豆传媒映画General Hospital and on the Cambie bridge, as well as stop the proposed separated bike lane through Kits Beach park and audit the rest of the bike lanes in the city.
鈥淪ome of them just don鈥檛 make sense,鈥� she said.
Independent candidate Golok Buday said the issue is how the bike lanes are paid for and planned.
When asked how they would tackle the issue of homelessness in the city, Sim said he would 鈥渃amp out in Victoria and Ottawa to get funding from our partners in government鈥� It鈥檚 going to be hard but we need someone to champion it and actually take a stand and have political courage.鈥�
Bremner said the city needs more 鈥渘o barrier housing and a lot of it now.鈥�
Young said the city needs to lobby the province for more treatment programs, and also referenced the example of Portugal鈥檚 five-year strategy on ending homelessness.
Chen took a hard line on the question of what to do about all of the unlicenced marijuana dispensaries in the city, saying that any dispensary that does not meet the city鈥檚 regulations should be shut down. He also talked about taking fines a step further and turning them into tax leins.
鈥淲e have to take a strong stance if we鈥檙e going to fix this problem.鈥�
Harding agreed saying that dispensaries that do not qualify for a licence should close. He said the city needs 鈥渟ome common sense around dispensaries鈥� and he has already engaged a local lawyer who is an expert on the matter.
When asked how they would boost the city鈥檚 civic profile and combat Vancouver鈥檚 reputation as 鈥淣o Fun City鈥�, Sim said it鈥檚 鈥渃ompletely ridiculous鈥� that people can鈥檛 buy a beer or a bottle of wine in corner stores.
鈥淎s mayor of Vancouver, we鈥檒l make that happen,鈥� he said.
Stewart said that the city really needs affordable spaces for musicians and artists.
鈥淲e need spaces for artists to create.鈥�
@JessicaEKerr
