Housing
Gaming grant cut to Victoria anti-poverty group
By March 11, 2010 05:55 pm 1 commentsThe provincial government cut funding to the Together Against Poverty Society, according to a news release the Victoria non-profit agency released this afternoon. Read more…
Filed inTent village packs up
By March 1, 2010 04:35 pmOrganizers of the Olympic tent village that has occupied a vacant lot in the Downtown Eastside for the past two weeks are officially dismantling it. They are declaring the demonstration a success, but they are vowing that it will not be the last time they set up camp. “I think what you can see is that we are not afraid to take up space. We’ve been able to hold down 58 West Hastings for two weeks. We’re not afraid to occupy important sites in the neighborhood and in Vancouver and have our voices heard," said Nathan Crompton, one of the tent city organizers. Read more…
Filed inVancouver promotes 'less as more' in green design
By February 26, 2010 09:49 am 1 commentsFrom laneway houses to shipping containers to 200-square-foot stackable condos, Vancouver's green building sector is showing off small, efficient designs at the 2010 Olympics. Read more…
Filed inMike Harcourt argues with protester
By February 25, 2010 09:39 am 8 commentsA protest outside Bob Rennie's Chinatown art gallery was tame save for one heated exchange.
Former premier Mike Harcourt stepped into a media scrum to counter protester assertions that real estate moguls will gentrify the Downtown Eastside. Read more…
Filed inOrganizers will close Olympic Tent Village if asked
By February 22, 2010 03:19 pm 4 commentsOrganizers of the Olympic Tent Village on Hastings street will likely comply with any police or city order to disband the encampment.
“This is a peaceful protest,” the Power of Women’s Elaine Durocher told reporters Monday afternoon. “When they ask us to leave – and if it’s before our demands are met – we will leave peacefully.” Read more…
Filed inLow-income B.C. seniors lose homes to Saturday fire
By February 22, 2010 01:53 pmResidents of Kiwanis Village, a housing complex for seniors, were forced to evacuate their homes after a devastating late-night fire in Duncan, B.C. The flames affected one building, or 28 of 90 units, in the four-building complex, leaving many low-income seniors without homes and most of their possessions. Read more…
Filed in'Good vibes' at homelessness rally
By February 20, 2010 02:34 pmPivot Legal Society continued its tightly-focused red tent campaign with a noon-time homelessness rally that felt almost like a celebration.
“It’s got a good vibe,” the group’s executive director John Richardson told the Tyee as he shook hands, shot smiles and composed a speech in his head. Read more…
Filed inGiant banner dropped from Cambie Bridge
By February 15, 2010 09:46 am 5 commentsCivil society activists refrained from criticizing Saturday’s violent march as they unfurled a giant banner from Cambie Bridge Monday morning. But the head of Pivot Legal Society hoped today’s action changes the way people think about protest. Read more…
Filed inBC's Coleman to foreign press: your problems are worse
By February 11, 2010 10:47 am 25 commentsDuring his response to the throne speech yesterday, Housing and Social Development minister Rich Coleman explained to the British Columbia legislature how he's dealt with foreign reporters' questions about homelessness and the housing crisis in Vancouver.
The strategy, as he explained it, is to tell reporters covering the Olympics that things are worse wherever they come from. Read more…
Victoria group raising money to help families with rent
By February 9, 2010 12:12 pmWith federal and provincial governments failing to adequately address the housing crisis, a faith group in Victoria is raising money to subsidize rents. Read more…
Mayor Robertson unfazed by negative media attention
By February 5, 2010 02:33 pm 28 commentsVancouver’s mayor brandished a Canadian flag and grinned like it was his birthday at a lunch-time pep rally for the 2010 Games. His smile didn’t sink an inch when asked about negative media depictions of the Downtown Eastside. Read more…
Filed inCreate a VANOC for homelessness, campaign urges
By February 3, 2010 10:04 pm 1 commentsA new campaign that calls for a VANOC-like body to end homelessness has the support of mayor Gregor Robertson.
“Love them or hate them,” said Rev. Ric Matthews of the First United Church, “VANOC and the Olympic Games have proved to this city that we are capable of doing amazing things.” Read more…
Robertson calls for post-Olympic homeless count
By February 2, 2010 11:25 am 1 commentsMayor Gregor Robertson wants to tighten the city's plan to end homelessness, and has called for a March homeless count to help the city track its progress -- or lack thereof.
"We need a homeless count specific to Vancouver, an annual progress report on homelessness with clear metrics, and a long-term plan that reflects the current economic climate," said Robertson, who was elected on a promise to end street homelessness by 2015. Read more…
Downtown Eastside info centre a "whitewash" say residents
By February 1, 2010 02:46 pm 1 commentsDowntown Eastside residents say a new Olympic information centre about the neighborhood ignores the real problem: B.C. and Vancouver's enormous housing crisis. Read more…
Filed inVictoria bids on bankrupt motels
By February 1, 2010 11:36 am 2 commentsThe City of Victoria has bid on three Traveller's Inn motels that are on sale as part of bankruptcy proceedings. The intention is to “protect and create affordable small family housing and supported housing,” a city press release said this morning. Read more…
Vision Vancouver ‘can’t support’ red tent campaign
By January 26, 2010 01:40 pm 11 commentsVancouver’s ruling party won’t endorse a plan to give red tents to homeless people during the Olympics.
“We can’t support this campaign as its currently set out,” Vision councillor Kerry Jang told the Tyee Tuesday. “It’s primarily because of health and safety concerns.” Read more…
Filed inVANOC chips in for homeless youth shelter
By January 14, 2010 09:01 am 2 commentsVANOC representatives were among the officials who opened a newly renovated Covenant House shelter for homeless youth yesterday.
“This investment provides a permanent housing legacy that will offer at-risk youth both shelter and support,” said VANOC vicepresident Donna Wilson. Read more…
Filed inReady or not, city plans to open shelters
By January 11, 2010 09:30 amVancouver's next two HEAT shelters for the homeless will open before affected communities are fully consulted, said a city councillor. City staff remain in contact with direct stakeholders of two proposed sites in Kitsilano and the West End, which will open in less than two weeks, according to Coun. Kerry Jang. Read more…
Filed inNew homeless shelter won't close gap
By January 5, 2010 05:00 pm 4 commentsVancouver will reopen another temporary homeless shelter this week, and plans to open two more before the 2010 Winter Games begin. But officials conceded on Tuesday that the Terminal City continues to host hundreds more homeless Canadians than shelter beds. Read more…
Ombudsperson recommends improvements to seniors' care
By December 17, 2009 11:32 am 3 commentsBritish Columbia ombudperson Kim Carter has provided 10 recommendations to improve care for seniors in part one of her report on the sector, not all of which the government has accepted. Read more…
The next page contains:
Victoria loses appeal of right-to-shelter case
Vancouver planning more homeless shelters
Vancouver police won't force homeless into shelters: Chief Chu
Homeless apprehensions could begin this weekend
New 2010 Games study inconclusive on benefits
Homeless Vancouver women get new shelter
For too many Aboriginals still, Australia is no ‘Lucky Country’
Community dialogues seek to direct housing policy
Demolition begins at Little Mountain
Province inconsistent on shelter: BCCLA's Eby
Pivot receives double support on methadone SRO evictions
BC government introduces forced shelter bill
BC failed to track how many affected by IQ rule
Suburban affordability fueling Metro real estate recovery: analyst
Homelessness costs BC taxpayers up to $1 billion a year
Olympics street closures to relocate homeless in early Feb.
Vancouver council plays homeless soccer team
Health minister Falcon hikes residential care rates
UBCM passes affordable housing resolutions
Demolition OK'ed for Little Mountain; Vancouver fast-tracks other sites
The page after that contains:
CCPA opens effort to track BC cuts
VANOC delaying release of Olympic impact report
Recession makes unlikely victims of homelessness
Two Webster nods for Tyee reporting
Lower Mainland home sales surge
Bowen Island residents race for affordable housing
Still no plans for interim housing: city
Advocates, family demand coroner's inquest into homeless aboriginal man's death
Good news in housing
Legal threats prompt 'quality' changes to SROs: City inspectors
Musqueam get first federal stimulus cheque for on-reserve housing
Kelowna supportive housing: one step forward, two steps back
No Olympics parking lot at social housing site: VANOC
No talks yet between City, residents about shelters
Province, city eye former jail to house homeless
HEAT gone, but not forgotten
City councillor to demand affordable housing timeline
Three HEAT shelters to remain open, housing to be built
Temporary housing waiting on provincial funds, says mayor
Mentally ill make way for addicted in Victoria housing shuffle
Democratic Trust
As British Columbia and other jurisdictions consider allowing online voting, can it be made secure enough that people will trust it? Will it encourage more people to vote? But if something goes wrong, will it further erode people's confidence in their democracies? And what role is the media likely to play in shaping the debate?
These are among the issues to be considered at a May 26 discussion that Fair Voting BC and PartyX are hosting at The Hive in Vancouver. I'll be on the panel, along with UBC Law's Fathima Cader and SFU computer scientist Steve Wolfman. The results and recommendations are to inform the two organizations' public positions on online voting.
Meanwhile join me and other contributors on The Hook as we bring you the latest from B.C. and across Canada.
-- Andrew MacLeod
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The Tyee Most Recent
Death in Remand: Stacked Deck
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'The Dictator'
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Should You Run from that Medical Test?
Alan Cassels, author of 'Seeking Sickness' on the disease screening industry, what it really catches, when to say no, and more.
Sexism Tinges Criticism of Teachers' Job Action
Folks, this is not a referendum on whether teachers 'nurture' or 'care' enough.
Death in Remand: A Jail Crammed with Risk
Guards say North Fraser Pretrial Centre where John Parker was killed by the cellmate he feared is like other remand facilities: dangerously crowded. Fourth in a reader-funded series.