Blaming B.C. Assessment for jeopardizing the city’s stock of “affordable rental homes” is misleading and disingenuous. Rents of $854 a month in older West End buildings are the result of long-term rent controls. Those taking advantage of those rents are the long-time renters.
Don’t advocate for the rest of us taxpayers to subsidize the landlords of these properties. If the actual rents are so out of line with current market rents, deal with the real issue by allowing rents to be more realistic. If government must be involved, may it be for the purpose of protecting only those who actually require protection — long-term renters who would not meet a wealth or income means test in the face of higher rents.
It is all too easy to blame commercial fisheries for the state of the steelhead even though they have been largely restricted in the period leading up to this “crisis.” The broad brush proposed closures encompass all commercial fisheries without regard to verifiable catch records that demonstrate infinitesimally small to absolutely no interactions with steelhead.
The environment ministry has been inconsistent in choosing its campaigns, such as in failing to save Cultus Lake for salmon. Zacharias should know that saving fish is a lot more complicated than killing fisheries.Barring unvaccinated kids is discriminationMaple Ridge mother Katie Clunn has started a petition to make it mandatory for parents to present vaccination cards during school admission, meaning those who choose not to vaccinate due to philosophical reasons must home-school their children.