[rubecube]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I'm aware of what they want to build. The problem is they haven't given any semblance of a plan on how to cost is, run it, maintain it, etc. Of the 11,400 homes they want to build each year, 7,000 of these are rental. The other 4,400 are market housing. There are currently 15,000 people on BC's wait list. Does building 44,000 units of market housing make sense when there are 15,000 people waiting? Where does the land come from for all these units? Where does the money come from to build these units? Let's assume the average unit is 600 SF, and the building costs are $200 PSF. The cost to build in the first year is $1,368,000,000. That's almost $1.4 Billion, and only includes the costs to build. That doesn't include the cost of land, nor does it include the operating costs once they are built.

It makes sense if you're planning for growth and hoping to drive the costs down for renters by reducing scarcity.

There is already enough rhetoric about the construction and development industry, including they are building everywhere. If this is true, who is going to build the new units with the industry already at capacity? It's not creating new jobs if they have to bring people in from other provinces. It's already difficult to find trades, so if trades become more in demand, then the prices continue to rise. If the provincial government is going to act as the GC or the developer, they can say they are keeping costs down by paying reasonable wages. Very few of the trades will go there, if they know they'll get paid more elsewhere.

This is absolutely fair criticism and I can't say I have an obvious answer to it. It may be one of those things where the public has to eat higher costs up front for greater benefits down the line. It's something that should have been anticipated years ago and invested in back when the costs would have been lower. I get that hindsight is 20/20, but how many times does in need to be demonstrated that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Continuing to punt on the housing issue isn't going to improve matters.

Stuff like this is unacceptable in my eyes:

https://www.cheknews.ca/family-livin...rental-364398/

At first glance, it may look like Tammy Stephens and her family are enjoying a summer camping trip at a View Royal campground but it is no vacation.

The tent they've set up is their home.

"It's been starting to cool down at nights so feels a bit chilly," said Stephens.

Stephens nine-year-old daughter Ocean should be heading back to school with her classmates, but living in a campground makes getting there difficult.

"She's an amazing girl to be so positive but she would like to have home back," said Stephens, who also has an 18-year-old daughter.

And the family did have an affordable four-bedroom home just a few months ago, but it was sold and they were forced out.

"It's quite the dramatic change but trying to stay positive and make the best of it I guess," said Stephens' husband Tyler Lumley.

They did find another place but came home a month ago to find a Do Not Occupy notice taped to the front door by the Town of View Royal.

They had to be out immediately.

"It was completely anxiety ridden, total fear all over again," said Stephens.

With no family to lean on, and no affordable housing available, they had nowhere left to turn.