Tag Archives: property taxes

Election 2022 – The Need for Change

Developer campaign funding is a major issue Despite election finance reforms banning union and corporate donations, big money especially from developers continues to flow into this civic election. By Elizabeth Murphy, October 12, 2022 Two sides of the same coin: … Continue reading

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Election 2022 – Future of Vancouver

Vancouver’s Plans Make the Future of the City an Election Issue The 2022 election will determine if Vancouver’s future is a city of towers under the Broadway and Vancouver Plans or a city of livable affordable sustainable neighbourhoods. By Elizabeth … Continue reading

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Broadway Plan

Murphy Interview on CKNW – Jill Bennette – Broadway Plan By Elizabeth Murphy, Jill Bennette Show  May 7, 2022 Rally planned to protest Broadway/Vancouver plan – The Jill Bennett Show – Omny.fm Broadway Plan & Vancouver Plan – Protest Rally … Continue reading

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Data-based Planning

Census data should inform Vancouver planning The 2021 Census confirms Vancouver is building more units than required for population growth By Elizabeth Murphy, Business In Vancouver, March 1, 2022 Downtown Vancouver is now the densest in Canada according to the … Continue reading

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CKNW Interview: Mayor’s Housing Motion

Elizabeth Murphy on the Jas Johal Show CKNW Interviewed on January 31, 2022 at 4:05 pm Jas Johal: Kennedy Stewart’s housing plan ‘puts electioneering ahead of responsible land use’, former City property development officer says Description Elizabeth Murphy, a private … Continue reading

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Citywide Rezonings

Local context matters in planning cities OPINION: Arbitrary citywide rezonings undermine livability, affordability and sustainability By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, October 30, 2021 City of Vancouver eligibility map for rezoning up to 6 storey rental apartments on and off arterials, … Continue reading

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Vancouver’s COVID-19 Response

It’s time for Vancouver to pause and pivot OPINION: Urban design and livability are an important part of sustainability and should not be sacrificed for expediency. By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, August 22, 2020 Construction cranes tower above condos under construction … Continue reading

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Vancouver Housing Policies

New direction in housing policies needed OPINION: Renovating existing homes can accommodate growth By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, August 31, 2019 Artist’s rendering of a 14-storey tower proposed at Broadway and Alma St. _____________________________________________________________ For a decade, the top issue in … Continue reading

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Vision 2.0

Vancouver under the influence By Elizabeth Murphy, Common Ground Magazine, July 2019 The same outside influences established under the former Vision-dominated council continue to drive Vancouver city policy _____________________________________________________________ The results of the last civic election in October 2018 were a … Continue reading

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Neighbourhoods vs. Corridors

The Costs of Corridors OPINION: Each neighbourhood is distinct and different in how they have evolved over time so need to be planned in that kind of context By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, July 6, 2019 The project at Broadway and … Continue reading

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Housing Strategy

Vancouver growth targets don’t add up By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, June 7, 2019 The current Vision agenda needs to change if we are to have an affordable sustainable future for the people who live and work here in Vancouver.  Elizabeth … Continue reading

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Broadway BS-Line report raises questions

Better, more cost effective options than SkyTrain to UBC should be considered By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, March 25, 2019 A Broadway subway would be more about condo development like that on the Cambie corridor than it is about transporting people. … Continue reading

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Broadway Subway, the BS-Line

No one should consider the UBC subway a done deal By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, February 24, 2019 What $7 billion buys in modern surface tram at $50 million per km. rather than only the Broadway subway from VCC to UBC. … Continue reading

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Reconsidering Vancouver’s Subway

Region needs to reconsider Broadway subway to UBC By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, February 03, 2019 Proposed SkyTrain line from Arbutus to UBC is a waste of money and would cause unwanted and unnecessary real-estate development, says planning advocate Elizabeth Murphy. Francis … Continue reading

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Property Taxes 2019

Municipal taxes in Vancouver: the good, the bad and the ugly By Elizabeth Murphy, Business in Vancouver, Thursday January 24, 2019 The October 2018 election in the city of Vancouver resulted in a decisive vote for change that ended Vision Vancouver’s decade-long majority as … Continue reading

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City hall change or status quo

Vision-appointed staff at Vancouver City Hall blocking change voters demanded By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday, January 11, 2019 The new council approved initiating a citywide plan that was a central part of the election campaign as a move away from the Vision … Continue reading

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Developers’ YIMBY Lobby

Vancouver must stop allowing the development community to set the agenda By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday December 14, 2018 This last Vancouver civic election in October was the first under new campaign finance rules that were intended to remove corporate and … Continue reading

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Vision’s ghost still lingers

Vancouver City Hall staff shouldn’t ignore clear voter support to rescind flawed rezoning By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday, November 23, 2018 Character houses can be converted into multiple units rather than being demolished for more expensive new duplexes. Photo: Elizabeth Murphy ______________________________________________________________ Although … Continue reading

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Vancouver votes for change

Vision’s reign of error finally ends The city budget has ballooned over the last decade, much higher than population growth would justify. By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Monday, October 29, 2018 Vision Vancouver, having pushed though their failed agenda for the last decade, … Continue reading

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Jane Jacobs’ wisdom needed now

Vancouver voters need to think about the city they want before they vote By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Tuesday, October 9, 2018 This heritage house was recently demolished that could have instead provided for more units and infill, argues planning activist and private … Continue reading

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Rezoning undermines affordability and character

Vancouver city hall is slamming through destructive new zoning without giving citizens a say The City of Vancouver is on a mad rush job to rezone 68,000 properties across the city, including Kitsilano and Cedar Cottage, in a move that will only … Continue reading

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High costs raise questions on growth

City’s high housing growth rate making homes less affordable By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday, Sept.1, 2018 Marine Drive and Cambie Street is part of the Cambie corridor plan that requires $750 million in utility upgrades as part of the billions of dollars … Continue reading

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City-wide rezoning without consultation

Unprecedented rezoning rush continues By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday, August 4, 2018 Vancouver city councillor Adriane Carr. Gerry Kahrman/PNG ______________________________________________________________ The City of Vancouver continues its rush to rezone city-wide without a prior public consultation process, counter to standard practice. Their clear … Continue reading

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Property surcharge against municipal interests

B.C. property surtax undermines municipal tax base By Elizabeth Murphy, Business in Vancouver, July 12, 2018 Graph source: Metro Vancouver report 2016. The B.C. provincial government’s proposed property tax surcharge encroaches onto the municipal tax base. The B.C. take of 40% will increase … Continue reading

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Rezoning increases the divide

Rezoning inflates land values – undermines affordability By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Monday, July 2, 2018 City of Vancouver maps from 2016 show how ‘hot’ properties that inflated beyond the average are distributed across the city. They closely reflect the areas of the … Continue reading

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Regressive Property Surcharge – The Georgia Straight

B.C. property surtax undermines cities and affordability By Elizabeth Murphy, The Georgia Straight, June 14, 2018 The province of British Columbia introduced a property tax surcharge that is a substantial encroachment onto the municipal tax base. It is precedent-setting in how it … Continue reading

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BC Property Surcharge Town Hall Meeting

WPGRA Meeting on BC Surtax Presentation  On May 27, 2018, the West Point Grey Residents Association (WPGRA) held a town hall meeting on the BC ‘school tax’ property surcharge, with MLA David Eby. The Jericho Hill Gym was packed to capacity, … Continue reading

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Proposed “School Tax” Property Surcharge

B.C. taxes need a ‘second look’ By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday, May 26, 2018 Graph updated June 13, 2018 Property taxes in the City of Vancouver are the highest in Canada, and if the proposed school-tax surcharge is added, it increases the … Continue reading

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