Question #1 ‘Indigenous Title “Template”’
Background: From ‘indiginews’ April 18th 2024
“After decades of negotiation, the Council of the Haida Nation signed an agreement with “British Columbia” on Sunday transferring ownership and jurisdiction over its territory back from the Crown. … The Haida title agreement is ‘a template’ for what’s possible, says premier ..”
Please comment on how you see this event being replicated throughout BC .
[https://indiginews.com/features/landmark-haida-title-agreement-is-a-template-for-whats-possible-says-premier]
Jen Ford
No response received
Yuri Fulmer
No response received
Jeremy Valeriote
| What has happened with Haida Gwaii is the latest in a series of modern treaty negotiations, which started with the Tsawwassen Treaty in 2007, and represent rights and title recognition through agreement rather than litigation. What we are seeing with these treaties is the executive and legislative branches of the provincial government heeding the advice of the judicial branch. Time and time again courts have determined that First Nations never legally surrendered or ceded their lands. Ignoring this perpetuates uncertainty and leads to the kind of expensive litigation that governments and businesses should avoid. Furthermore BC Greens strongly support the Declaration Act, and the principle it enshrines of free, prior and informed consent. We support reforms to colonial laws that undermine the inherent rights of First Nations peoples. In that context we would review the Land Act. Clearly the reforms proposed by the NDP government were not adequately explained nor was there sufficient consultation. |
Question #2 Housing / Zoning: – Bill 44
Background: From the Vancouver Sun – June 4th 2024 :-
“If communities don’t meet the targets within six months, the province will appoint an independent adviser to help them make progress. If that doesn’t work, the province will wield a bigger stick and overrule the municipality with the power to rezone entire neighbourhoods to create more density.”
Please comment on how you see this policy being implemented in West Vancouver.
[https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-government-documents-reveal-all-47-municipalities-on-housing-naughty-list]
Jen Ford
No response received
Yuri Fulmer
No response received
Jeremy Valeriote
| We have to start by agreeing that we’re in a housing crisis, and everyone has a right to be housed. In West Vancouver there has been a longstanding, growing deficit between supply and demand. Indeed the shortage of homes – especially rental – has been regularly documented by municipal staff, such as in the Housing Needs Report, and successive Vital Signs reports. Having done nothing to address the housing crisis for seven years, the NDP has tried to push through a blizzard of new laws in the months leading up to the election. There’s no evidence that quadrupling the number of units on single family home lots will make any difference to affordability. The market hasn’t solved this problem and we shouldn’t expect it to – more supply does not necessarily mean lower prices. BC Greens would focus on protecting our existing affordable housing stock and investing in 26,000 new non-market rental units, every year, for 10 years. Nonprofit projects such as the 2195 Gordon Ave building in West Van being developed by Kiwanis North Shore are exactly the kind of solution we need. The BC Greens are the only party talking about the financialization or commodification of housing. We have authorities refusing to intervene when a huge share of our housing stock is now treated as an investment vehicle by hedge funds, Jeff Bezos and Real Estate Investment Trusts. We cannot improve affordability without addressing this powerful driver on the demand side of the equation. |
Question #3 ‘Transportation
Last week Global News reported “… two North Shore mayors reiterated the warning that massive transit cuts are coming in 2026 without a long-term fix to TransLink’s structural deficit.
Buchanan said such cuts would have “catastrophic consequences,” including the elimination of numerous bus routes and a projected increase in traffic congestion of 20 per cent. “
Please comment on what practical (and achievable) steps could be taken to address the worsening transportation situation on the North Shore …
Jen Ford
No response received
Yuri Fulmer
No response received
Jeremy Valeriote
The problem with TransLink funding comes from the declining revenue generated by the transit levy in Metro Vancouver. While a new funding mechanism has to be agreed, in the meantime the province must step up and provide operational funding.
Households in BC spend $10,879, or 15% of their income on average, on transport each year (StatsCan, 2021). Across Canada the average is $9,501 on private vehicles, and $598 on public transport. Public transit provides options for families, easing the dependence on private vehicles, and helping address affordability.
Transit is also the solution to other problems: safety, traffic congestion, and climate pollution. That’s why the BC Greens have proposed fast, frequent, free transit. It would partly be paid for by reallocating existing funds, plus efficiencies from dispensing with ticketing, with the remaining $420m (0.5% of BC government spending) coming from the budget. The economic benefits are well-documented – every dollar spent on transit brings back $4 to the local economy.