Capital Report ~ April 5, 2007
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Premier Gordon Campbell was joined by Minister Responsible for Housing Rich Coleman to announce the Province will invest $80 million to protect almost 1,000 more units of supportive housing. April 3, 2007.

Province Makes Record Investment in Affordable Housing

Premier Campbell announced this week the Province will invest $80 million to purchase 15 buildings in Vancouver, Victoria and Burnaby to protect affordable housing. This announcement represents the largest single investment in affordable housing stock. The purchases include:

  • 10 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels in Vancouver
  • 1 SRO hotel in Victoria
  • 4 buildings in Victoria and Burnaby to be converted into supportive housing
  • 287 supportive housing units in Vancouver on 3 city-owned sites.

Click for more information.

Asia Pacific Initiative Steers B.C. to Pacific Century

Economic Development Minister Colin Hansen unveiled the government's much anticipated Asia Pacific Initiative, a long-term strategy to diversify B.C.’s economic ties with the Asia Pacific region. The Asia Pacific Initiative identifies five key priority areas:

  • Advance B.C.’s global identity as Canada’s Pacific Gateway
  • Continue to build a world-class infrastructure and supply chain
  • Strengthen and maximize B.C.’s trade and investment relationships with Asia
  • Become the Asia-Pacific education, tourism and cultural destination of choice
  • Ensure the province’s labour force is equipped with the skills to thrive in the Pacific Century economy

Click for more information.

$32 Million Expansion of Transit Services

The Province Government has made another significant step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions with $32 million for transit service expansions and new buses throughout BC.

  • The 2007 budget provides nearly $10 million for the expansion of services in 25 communities.
  • Communities will also benefit from $22 million in funding from the federal Public Transit Capital Trust which will be used to purchase 121 buses to expand public transit.
  • $52.5 million will be redistributed by UBCM to support local government investments in public transit.

Click for more information.

 

Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Minister of Environment Barry Penner joins Bill Good on CKNW AM 980's Bill Good Show from 10:00-10:15 am to discuss the Go Green Challenge for BC schools.

Quotes This Week

“In one day, we've done 10 years' worth of effort."
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan commenting on the Province's record $80 million investment in affordable housing. Vancouver Sun, April 5, 2007

“I think it's good news.  I think it's an important first step to preserving the housing in the Downtown Eastside that we need for low-income people.”
David Eby, Pivot Legal Society. Vancouver Sun, April 4, 2007. 

“This is a crazy market. No one out there can predict what is going to happen except to say that so far it is as strong as it has ever been. I have to admit this market is surprising every realtor. The buying demand remains strong, resulting in double-digit increases and yet it is being 90 per cent driven by local buyer demand.”
Les Twarog, RE/Max downtown and city real-estate specialist. Vancouver Sun, March 27, 2007.


Did You Know?
  • The Mercer Group's 2007 Quality of Living survey ranks Vancouver as the third best place in the world to live, the only North American city to rank in the top 10. 

  • The unemployment rate in British Columbia fell to 3.9 per cent in March, reaching a 31-year record low for the third straight month.

  • The BC Liberal Government doubled its contribution to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to $2 million dollars in support of their campaign to end breast cancer by 2020.

    • © 2007 Government Caucus of British Columbia. All Rights Reserved.