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Issues

Building affordable housing for all and ending homelessness.

    Ellen Woodsworth at homes for all event

    Ellen Woodsworth at homes for all event

  • Allocate funding to meet the official City target of 800 units of affordable housing a year for the next four years.
  • Require developers to incorporate a minimum of 20% low-income or affordable housing in new developments.
  • Lobby the Federal Government to reestablish a National Housing Program (Canada is the only G8 country that doesn’t have one) and a Co-op Housing Program similar to that which built develpments such as Champlain Heights and False Creek.
  • Implement provisions of the new Vancouver Social Housing Amendment Act that allows for increased density as compensation for the creation of affordable housing
  • Implement a policy for all developments in the Downtown Eastside and adjacent neighbourhoods, so that for every unit of market housing built, an equivalent unit of affordable social housing is also constructed.
  • Safe, supported, and long-term affordable housing for women be made available immediately.
  • No housing units, including supportive housing and special-needs residential facilities, be exempt from the Residential Tenancy Act.
  • Actively protect, maintain, and improve the existing low-income housing stock, through vigilant enforcement of existing regulations and bylaws.
  • Criteria for inclusion on the highest priority list for affordable housing be amended to include women who are survivors of violence and abuse.
  • Lobby the Provincial Government to adjust welfare rates to reflect the rising cost of rental accomodation and the cost of living.
  • Lobby the Provincial Government to create a more effective and accessible residential tenancy dispute resolution process including an office in Vancouver.
  • No person should be evicted from their homes for the Olympics.

For background details and to make recommendations please look at www.cope.bc.ca Draft Policy

Putting more buses on the streets and providing affordable transit for all:

  • Advocate for ongoing sustainable investment in transit infrastructure on an annual basis.
  • Call for an immediate increase in the number of buses on Vancouver streets.
  • Demand that TransLink create a fare review process that includes an advisory panel of users groups, community organizations, transit operators and other stakeholders in determining fare rates.
  • Work with TransLink to implement a student U-pass system for all Metro Vancouver post secondary students similar to that currently in place for students at UBC and SFU.
  • Establish an official Free Bus loop that links downtown with the Broadway Corridor between Main St and Burrard St.
  • Demand that the Province amend its legislation to create a TransLink Board that is directly elected by the people of the member municipalities of Metro Vancouver.
  • Oppose the Gateway Plan – a $10 Billion plan which will flood the city with more pollution and more cars counter to the City’s transportation plans and opposed by the cities of Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, North Vancouver, and Richmond.
  • Make funding bikeways and cycling a priority in the next Capital Plan.
  • Promote the creation of a public bicycle rental system, initially in the Downtown Business District and Broadway Corridor.
  • Improve bike safety and access by measures such as giving right of way priorities to bikes on bikeways, erecting prominant signs indicating bike routes, and separating cars form bikes on neighbourhood bike routes.
  • Support the expansion of cycling education and awareness programs at schools throughout the city. All children should be offered courses in safe cycling.
  • Provide a system of secure storage, lockers, retail concessions and other cyclist oriented amenities at SkyTrain stations, bus loops and transit hubs.
  • Split one of the six traffic lanes on Burrard Bridge to make room for a bike lane alongside each sidewalk, put in reversible light signals and give three lanes to rush-hour traffic.
  • Work with local communities to create city-wide Car Free Zones and Car Free Days

For background details and to make recommendations please look at www.cope.bc.ca Draft Policy

The greenest city in North America.

    Climate Change Event

    Climate Change Event

  • Implement the Cool Vancouver Climate Change Plan passed by Council in 2004
  • Implement a city-wide reduction of 33% of current GHG emissions by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050.
  • Move the City Sustainability Department responsible for implementing the Climate Change Plan out of Engineering -where it has been buried by the NPA – and restore it as a department within the City manager’s office.
  • Create a Community Climate Change Action Fund to promote neighbourhood based climate change initiatives as recommended by the Cool Vancouver Task Force.
  • Re-instate the Mayor’s Environmental Awards which were last given out in 2004.
  • Plant 20,000 more trees immediately.
  • Develop a program with business and industry for planting trees in industrial areas.
  • Require new commercial and residential developments to include planting trees and creating “green roofs” as a fundamental component.
  • Work with the Provincial Government’s Trees for Tomorrow program to develop and fund more tree planting programs
  • Plan for new developments in Mt Pleasant and the False Creek Flats to be linked to the Neighbourhood Energy Utility.
  • Expand the Neighbourhood Energy Utility to other areas across the city.
  • Set a goal for Vancouver to move from the current 50% recycling rate to achieving a 70% rate by 2012.
  • Oppose the construction of solid waste incinerators in the City of Vancouver.
  • Move a motion at the Metro Vancouver Waste Management Committee to undertake a comprehensive and independent economic, health and enviromental study of the impacts of waste incinerators on both the Metro and Fraser Valley regions.
  • Move a motion at the Metro Vancouver Waste Management Committee to initiate a full, comprehensive and open public consultation process on building new waste incinerators in the region.
  • Introduce a stepped system fee structure for household garbage removal that rewards those who produce smaller amounts of waste.
  • Fast track combined storm and sanitary sewer outfalls (CSOs) replacement starting with False Creek
  • Implement a system of universal water metering over a five year period, starting with ew developments and then street by street.
  • Require that only low-flush toilets be installed in new developments-residential and commercial. Toilets account for 40% of all household water use.
  • Offer rebates to homeowners on the purchase of low-flush toilets to replace traditional toilets.
  • Encourage all resident to conserve water through an education program that includes brochures delivered to all households and enhanced water conservation pages on the city website.

For background details and to make recommendations please look at www.cope.bc.ca Draft Policy

Protecting diverse, vibrant and safe neighbourhoods.

  • Protect neighbouhoods from being destroyed by big-box retails giants such as Wal-Mart.
  • Implement firm policy to not use public funds to support private security services.
  • Discontinue Project Civil City and terminate the Civil City Commissioner position which has not delivered any of its promises.
  • Oppose expanded gambling.
  • Limit all property tax hikes to the rate of inflation.
  • Adjust any tax shifts so that homeowners and renters are not burdened with paying an unfair share of property taxes.
  • Support small businesses by call for the Provincial government to create a new tax bracket for small businesses so that they can continue to support their neighbourhoods.
  • Fund local initiatives that help create and maintain, diverse, unique neighbourhoods that make Vancouver an exciting engaged city.
  • Set up a ward system for electing City Councillors so that there is fair representation of all of Vancouver on Council.

Arts and Entertainment

  • Direct City staff to report on ways that the City can increase the per capita spending on the arts to the Montreal level of $33.
  • Direct staff to consult with the arts and cultural community through the Creative City Project and other avenues to ensure inclusive consultation; explore the issue of affordable studio/performance space for emerging and established artists in Vancouver.
  • Create an action plan to provide more options for evening entertainment and closing hours for both adults and minors.
  • Implement a comprehensive review of by-laws regarding dancing in entertainment venues.

For background details and to make recommendations please look at www.cope.bc.ca Draft Policy

Making sure City Council represents and listens to you.

  • Ask the Provincial goverment to amend the Vancouver Charter to limit campaign spending according to recommendations made by Thomas Berger in his 2004 Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission Report.
  • Set up a ward system as recommended by the Vancouver Electoral Reform Commission.
  • Reinstate the office of the City of Vancouver Child and Youth Advocate
  • Create a Youth Innovation Centre under the direction of the office of the Child and Youth Advocate with a steering committee comprised of the Civic Youth Strategy Engagement Team and community youth-based service providers.
  • Develop a selection and review process that eliminates political interference and favouritismin the establishment and selection of citizen advisory committees.
  • Reinstate the Advisory Committees on Seniors, on Disability Issues, Peace and Justice.
  • Set up the Women’s Advisory Committee and implement the recommendations of the Gender Equality Strategy (see City Website for details of the full Strategy) as passed by Council .
  • Create a Citizen Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Issues.
  • Create a Citizen Advisory Commitee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Transexual Issues.
  • Create a Citizen Advisory Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Issues to further the development of the Strategy and Actions as recommended by the Mayor’s Task Force on Immigration (see City website for full report).

For more information go to www.cope.bc.ca