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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch

Westside Backyard @westside-backyard.bsky.social · 18h

Anyone remember how there was a whole task force to find specific savings in the city budget?

Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 17h

I'm a simple man. I see a graphic novel adaptation of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, I buy a graphic novel adaptation of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 1d

So the CoV's plexes in the R1-1 zone are enough to make it not a "restricted zone", even though the CoV plexes are much smaller and more restricted than the province intended its SSMUHs to be. And even the new enforcement powers introduced today only apply to "restricted zones", so 🤷

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, that's right! The problem is that the provincial SSMUH (multiplex) legislation only applies to "restricted zones", and the def of "restricted zone" is based solely on number of units. (The 1st image is the old def; the 2nd the new.)

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent! I think a good overall message would point out that a one-sized-fits-all approach is not suitable for addressing the special role of Vancouver's housing shortage and its impact on the entire region; the SSMUH legislation to date simply has no impact here.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 1d

lol sorry that would have been good context to include huh

(Basically, a slight revision to the definition of "restricted zone for purposes of the provincial multiplex legislation, and some more enforcement tools)

news.gov.bc.ca/releases/202...

Introduction of housing and municipal affairs statutes amendment act, 2025

Government introduced the housing and municipal affairs statutes amendment act, 2025 (Bill 25) to the legislative assembly on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.

news.gov.bc.ca

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 2d

...to remove R1-1 from the definition of "restricted zone", even though the CoV multiplexes are a lot smaller than the what the province wants. So the multiplex stuff simply does not apply to most of the CoV.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah, this is (imo) right--the Van Charter thing is also a problem, but re multiplexes specifically the problem is that, instead of being a true rule of universal application, the provincial multiplexes only apply to ares that are "restricted zones", and the CoV's multiplexes are enough...

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 2d

AHV's regular happy hour is tonight--hope to see you there!

Abundant Housing Vancouver @ahvancouver.bsky.social · 2d

The weather is cooling down, the leaves are falling, and the October Happy Hour with Abundant Housing Vancouver is coming up!

Thursday, Oct 9
Rogue Wetbar in Waterfront Station
Starting 5 pm

See you there!

Happy Hour with Abundant Housing Vancouver

Come meet your pro-housing neighbours at happy hour with AHV!

www.eventbrite.ca

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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch

Clarkesworld @clarkesworldmagazine.com · 2d

Only have time to (or just prefer to) listen to short stories? The podcast episode for "The Cancer Wolves" by Fiona Moore is up.
clarkesworldmagazine.com/audio_10_25a/
or wherever you like to listen to podcasts
clarkesworldmagazine.com/podcasting/

The Cancer Wolves by Fiona Moore (audio)

Clarkesworld Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine and Podcast.

clarkesworldmagazine.com

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 2d

Sadly the new provincial reforms to their multiplex system appear to continue to NOT apply to the City of Vancouver.

The Province continues to ignore Vancouver's housing shortage, the epicenter of the provincial housing crisis.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 2d

The DM be like

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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch

Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 @jmcelroy.bsky.social · 2d

In 2022, Ken Sim said line item budget comparisons were the cornerstone of his budget policy if he got elected mayor.

In 2025, he voted against it happening for a budget presentation with potentially $100 million in cuts because his newly appointed city manager told him no.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 2d

Hey the meme account is posting truth bombs y'all

Westside Backyard @westside-backyard.bsky.social · 2d

It's irresponsible governance to have swooped in for photo-ops announcing emergency funding for repairing neglected infrastructure that failed, then to entrench the chronic underfunding that was its cause.

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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch

Westside Backyard @westside-backyard.bsky.social · 2d

A person riding a bicycle holding a stick. They jam the stick labelled "0% Property Tax Increase" in the front wheel, then are lying on the ground in pain saying "Our aging public pools are falling apart and we don't have budget to replace them"

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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch

Abundant Housing Vancouver @ahvancouver.bsky.social · 2d

The weather is cooling down, the leaves are falling, and the October Happy Hour with Abundant Housing Vancouver is coming up!

Thursday, Oct 9
Rogue Wetbar in Waterfront Station
Starting 5 pm

See you there!

Happy Hour with Abundant Housing Vancouver

Come meet your pro-housing neighbours at happy hour with AHV!

www.eventbrite.ca

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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch

Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 3d

Vancouver City Council approved establishment of standardized apartment zoning districts today, as well as a significant City initiated rezoning in the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor areas. I delivered these remarks in closing during the item at Council:

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

ps good for Fry for voting yes! Despite his comments he, unlike Orr, had the courage to actually support a common sense change that makes it easier to build housing, yes, including social and non-profit housing

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

Ok it passes! Sean Orr abstained which I find hilarious. looooooooool

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

Sorry that was unclear: Sean Orr didn't have any questions for staff, but he did make comments.

Fry is sounding like a no on this, which is consistent with the NIMBY-ish leaning and history of the Vancouver Greens and his many "no" votes on housing. We'll see.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

No comments from Sean Orr, which is interesting--I'm curious about how he votes. But he's 1st w/ comments: he voted no on it when referred to a public hearing, because he didn't have time to read & understand it.

Says he's torn on it. Wish he had more information to "make the right decision".

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

Now Fry is raising the NIMBY idea that it is somehow necessary for city council to scrutinize and approve individual housing proposals.

He's just wrong. That isn't democracy. It's not good planning.

It IS a big part of why we're in a housing crisis.

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

Fry up with questions first. Asks if this is just implementing Bill 18, provincial legislation.

Staff: uhh no

Fry, after almost 8 years as a council, just repeatedly shows he doesn't understand how housing approvals and policy works.

a picture of a man with the words " you are all over the place "

ALT: a picture of a man with the words " you are all over the place "

media.tenor.com

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

Here's an example of why this is important.

Public hearings were never meant to be heard for individual buildings, but for area-wide zoning changes. Using them for each individual building creates opportunities like this for wealthy neighbours to veto housing

vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/05/26/c...

City Hall abandons social housing development: Kitsilano Coalition

Community members in Kitsilano say that the City of Vancouver has withdrawn to develop a social housing project at a Kitsilano site.

vancouver.citynews.ca

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Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 4d

Ok the debate and vote on these mild zoning changes is finally up!

This is a small step in the right direction: less pointless discretionary opportunities for NIMBYs to veto housing. All this does is make /some/ zoning consistent with existing policy and plans.

Let's see how this goes!

Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 24d

I /could/ be spending the night reading this gorgeous HP Lovecraft book...but instead I'll experience a different sort of weird horror.

I'm going to liveskeet tonight's public hearing! The city wants to actually <gasp> rezone stuff on its own initiative!

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