BC Housing scandal an appalling mess.
This is only one chapter of many reprehensible messes creating B.C.B次元官网网址檚 housing crisis. It didnB次元官网网址檛 start or stop with what is now being called favoritism at Atira WomenB次元官网网址檚 Resource Society. LetB次元官网网址檚 look back at some of the other issues caused by government boondoggling in housing. In 1987, then-premier Bill Vander Zalm introduced the B次元官网网址減roperty tax transferB次元官网网址� to be used for B次元官网网址渁ffordable housing,B次元官网网址� this turned out to be a tax windfall for the government, collecting billions in tax dollars but here we are with the current premier decrying an affordability housing crisis. Where did those billions go B次元官网网址� general revenue.
When the Liberals, now called BC United, were in power they were cleared of money laundering in the housing market, but never explained how people were paying millions in cash for houses.
While this was going on the government put profits before people, reno-evictions were at pandemic levels with developers and investors buying up older multi-living complexes, throwing some paint and discount appliances, while displacing vulnerable seniors and families with no guarantees of affordability at the end of these so-called renovations.
Sidney was one of those targeted areas for developers and investors. The conglomerates will preach their investors are working for pension plans, but missing is the pensioners sacrificed for shareholders. IB次元官网网址檓 a pensioner and the best increase IB次元官网网址檝e had is three per cent when inflation is more than double that. Whooha. How does this work for the pensioner who was paying $750-$800 per month on their rental, after renovation, now facing $1,400-$2,000 a month cost?
Where is government in regulating this? Oh wait, now Premier Eby will interfere with local government building permits to meet the needs, while ignoring the CRDB次元官网网址檚 growth plan numbers for water and sewer. So after they are finished milking people for every housing-related tax B次元官网网址� the new plan is to take every drop of potable water until this is a crisis! Why doesnB次元官网网址檛 government work together at every level and come up with a B次元官网网址渨orkableB次元官网网址� plan instead of overstepping its governance?
Jo-Anne Berezanski
North Saanich
