The first few municipalities that could be subject to provincial orders to approve more housing have been announced, and they include the City of Vancouver, the District of West Vancouver, and the District of North Vancouver.
I'mā¦ ā¦ambivalent about this specific approach, at the moment, specifically due to how it might play out in poorer neighbourhoods in the City of Vancouver. In the absence of instructions in such a housing target order that would force the current Council, which has a 7:3 neoliberal majority (which was elected with substantial help from the Vancouver Police Department and its "union"), to place new housing such that it doesn't drive up rents, that'sā¦ ā¦probably what said Council will do. But if given sufficient guidance via such an order, it could be a tool to force the City to approve more low-income housing, or approve cheaper rentals in currently exceptionally overpriced neighbourhoods.
As for West and North Van, on the other hand, this is unambiguously a good thing. Both of those municipalities are directly adjacent to the City of Vancouver, with short distances between them and Downtown; both of them currently have governments that are excessively cautious about approving new housing; and both of them are currently laid out such that the most logical places to put new density aren't vulnerable to gentrification.
So, well, I'm watching what happens from here with caution, because this could be wielded to dangerous effect on some levels, but could also do a ton to help people with moderate or even lower incomes find housing closer to Downtown, which might take some pressure off housing prices elsewhere, maybe.
And if nothing else, maybe having new, not posh neighbours might force some of Metro Vancouver's most insufferable Concerned Citizensā¢ to improve their attitudes the tiniest little bit.