Looking Back and Forward. SFU Lecture October 18, 2023

Many of the people making major planning decisions around Metro Vancouver were not even born when I arrived in Vancouver in 1974 to begin working with CMHC. Most are unaware of the history of CMHC housing programs and the major zoning and development decisions that have shaped our region, and other factors which have contributed to the unaffordability crisis we face today. 

Earlier this month Andy Yan of the SFU City Program helped organize a program 'Looking Back and Forward'. It reviewed some of the significant government decisions and projects over the past five decades that should not be forgotten. Joining me on the stage were Ray Spaxman, Vancouver's former director of planning from 1973 to 1989; Michael Epp, a former Director of Planning for the City of North Vancouver and currently Director of Housing, Planning and Development for Metro Vancouver; and Zoe Brook, a co-director of the Young ULI and an emerging real estate and development consultant.

A video of the presentation can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y--Qae6n3OY

For those who don't have enough wine or other spirits on hand to sit through the entire evening presentation, below are 12 'solutions' I put forward to address some of the housing affordability challenges we now face:

It seems we always focus on the cost of land when discussing housing affordability, but these other cost components can be equally significant. In another SFU presentation that can be found online, I review how to reduce the other cost components.

What many don't understand is that by allowing higher densities, a landowner may realize a financial gain, and the land cost may be reduced for a particular project. But developers buy land the same way most of us buy meat or fish...by the pound, or in the case of land, by the square foot. As a result, higher densities do not always translate into more affordable housing. You pay $100 psf regardless of the FSR

While we have a shortage of industrial land, I see many opportunities to combine light industry and housing around the region. I don't see housing replacing industry, just adding to it. In some cases, modular homes could be sited on the roofs of these buildings. Seriously!

Sadly, there were more extensive public transit networks in place 100 years ago, when compared to today. As these maps illustrate, Interurban and Electric Rail lines once served Richmond, Chilliwack and other communities. We need to replicate these networks, but not with SkyTrain. Rather we should place greater emphasis on light rail, rapid bus, etc. And reuse the existing tracks to Squamish.

 and elsewhere.

Growth should finance growth. But it's a mistake to burden new homeowners and renters with all the costs associated with new infrastructure, sewage treatment plant upgrades, etc. That's what is happening now. In the past, existing residents paid for new infrastructure over time. Unfortunately, as the price of new housing rises, all the existing housing rises too. A rising tide lifts all boats. The same applies here.

If we are going to tax existing property owners along with new homebuyers and renters, we should also revise BC Assessment classifications. There should be different mill rates for single-family and multi-family housing. For one thing, single-family lots often require more services. Also, why not reward those choosing to live more sustainably?

There was a time when municipalities could not sell density. Now that has changed. But while planners will deny it, some projects are approved at densities and heights greater than they should be from an urban planning perspective, so the municipality can charge higher Community Amenity Contributions.

This might seem like a minor point, but there is no reason we should require the same exiting requirements for a 3-storey building and a 30-storey building. By permitting a single exit, this could make it easier to design more cost-effective 'missing middle' buildings, like those in the past. 

While inclusionary zoning and density bonuses result in some more affordable housing, realistically, the private sector cannot build the very affordable housing that we need. In the 70s and 80s, it was the non-profits who built truly affordable homes with government money. We need to do more of this in future.

When we were young, many of us shared housing. However, today, most of us don't want to. But that said, the easiest way to create more affordable housing is to make better use of all the vacant bedrooms and other spaces that currently exist. What we need is a way to pair seniors with other seniors, and young people with seniors. The benefits could be very significant. It will happen, but let's promote it.

I must smile when I hear politicians talking about the hundreds of thousands of new homes that we are going to build annually. What they ignore is that our construction industry isn't geared for such dramatic increases in supply. But one way to increase supply is through greater use of factory-construction.

Better designed balconies may not make homes more affordable, but they will make them more livable. In Europe, retractable glass panels often make balconies more functional, especially in the late fall, winter, and early spring. Some Metro municipalities now allow their installation without the balcony area counting as part of the suite area. But Vancouver is not one of them. At least not yet! 

Thirty years ago, Ray Spaxman proposed the idea of an 'Urbanarium' - an urban museum where models of the city and new developments could be put on display. An Urbanarium would also be a place to foster discussion about planning and other urban issues. Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing and other cities have created such places. It is time for Vancouver build a gallery to showcase our planning successes.

Deli and Yom Kippur in Montreal

My guess is that there is about a pound of smoked meat in Smoke Meat Pete's giant platter.

From the NOTL school reunion, I travelled to Montreal. Initially, I booked the train from Union Station since I have fond 60's and 70's memories of the Rapido between Toronto and Montreal. However, shortly after making a reservation I received a message from Via Rail telling me there would be track maintenance and resulting delays. So, I flew.  Driving in from the airport was a terrifying experience. For one thing, there was incredible congestion due in part to excessive road construction. 

Unfortunately, the GPS on my huge Chrysler rental (it's all they had available with GPS) did not know which roads were closed off. Consequently, a 28-minute trip turned into an hour and 28 minutes before I finally made it to my Sherbrooke Street hotel. Since I'm accustomed to driving a smaller Tesla, I could barely manoeuvre the Chrysler into and through the extremely tight parkade. 

That evening, I took a taxi up to Schwartz's on The Main for the first of several smoked meat experiences. (I was determined to drive as little as possible in a city that was essentially a major construction site.) As always Schwartz's was packed and I was not disappointed with a bone-in rib steak with a side of smoked meat, followed by a smoked meat sandwich. (If you are not a smoked meat aficionado, at Schwartz's you can order lean, medium, medium fat, or fatty. I order medium fat.)

Saturday, I again left the car in the garage and took a hop-on, hop-off bus tour of the city. While impressed by many of the buildings, I wasn't impressed by the statue of John A Macdonald that was missing John A. Of course I toured old Montreal where I once managed two projects for CMHC and MSUA (now defunct Ministry of State for Urban Affairs) and was reminded that at one time, Montreal was the capital of Canada.

Montreal has become a city of murals, and few more photographed than this one of Leonard Cohen.

I liked the way the venerable Ritz Carlton has been modified to include some condominium residences

https://www.residences.ritzmontreal.com/

I stopped at Dunns on Metcalfe for what I hoped would be another smoked meat delight, but when I saw a filthy bathroom covered in graffiti, I decided to leave. But not before asking for the manager and questioning why he would allow this to happen. His answer? They were open 24 hours a day. And what does it matter? (I subsequently learned Dunns restaurants are now franchised, but Metcalfe is the main downtown spot . If I owned Dunns, I would fire that manager.)

Saturday night I experienced a wonderful dinner at a Pois Penche, a French restaurant across from 2000 Peel Street where my friend Jon Wener has his Canderel offices. It was an excellent meal and evening . I sat at the bar and by the end of the evening had new friends. 

Since I didn't know whether to have the bouillabaisse or duck confit, (and would be fasting for a day) I had the bouillabaisse followed by the duck confit. No disappointment there. As each glass of wine was consumed, my French improved.

On Sunday I returned for another bus tour around the city but forgot the marathon was on, thus eliminating a few of the stops. This was followed by a late deli lunch at Snowden Deli on Decarie before the start of Yom Kippur https://tastet.ca/en/reviews/snowdon-deli/ 

I attended the Kol Nidre service at Shaare Zion Beth El where I was warmly greeted by those around me who realized I was a visitor. Everyone had family or friends in Vancouver. Coincidentally, the rabbi had recently arrived from....Richmond. Why? For one thing, Richmond was too expensive a place to raise a family! But Shaare Zion is also one of Canada's most established Conservative synagogues in a very impressive building. The choir and cantor were superb.

Yom Kippur lunch? Well, this was a Yom Kippur lunch. 

But I had a fabulous 'breaking the fast' dinner at Jon Wener's home. Jon is one of Canada's great real estate success stories and everyone who knows him speaks about him in superlatives. He is, after all, a bigshot! Here's his story. Watch it. You'll know what I mean.  https://www.bigshot.show/jonathan-wener/ 

Before heading back to Vancouver, I had to explore one more deli. Smoked meat Pete is not a Jewish deli. But it's owned by the family that once owned The Main, across the street on Saint Laurent from Schwartz's. (Sadly, it closed down in May.) But Smoke Meat Pete isn't likely to close in the near future. Although located away from the downtown, it is well worth a trip. As I ordered my smoked meat platter food from Cherie, part of the family, I discovered she once lived in Kitsilano. I asked her why she didn't stay in Vancouver and open up a decent smoked meat restaurant here. She gave me the same answer as the rabbi. "Vancouver's too expensive." What a Pity.

After three days I took the car out of the garage and headed off to the suburbs where I would stay for the Canadian Seniors Golf Association annual tournament. But that's another story for another day.

I think I know what they meant!

University of Toronto Architecture Class 7T0 - Niagara-on-the-Lake Sept 20-21 2023

From left to right, Temporale, Smith, Johnston, Hull, McGuire, Yamashita and me. (Missing Ian Malcolm)

On September 20th, 8 members of the UofT School of Architecture 1970 graduating class (and some spouses) assembled in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) for a reunion. Sadly, George Battaglin, who first proposed the reunion missed the gathering since he was in Italy. Premature death, poor health and various other reasons prevented the other 13+/- members of the graduating class from attending. 

Thanks must go to Paul Johnston, a resident of NOTL who organized the event attended by John Hull, Ian Malcolm, Curtis McGuire, Harold Smith, Alex Temporale, and Bob Yamashita. All agreed that Yamashita had changed the least. In fact, he hadn't changed at all!

While many people want to avoid school reunions like the plague, I am not one of them. I think it's wonderful to connect with former classmates from time to time to see how things have turned out. While most of the attendees are now retired, Ian Malcolm https://www.ismarchitects.ca/about/ is one of Barrie's most successful architects and businessmen, and Alex Temporale, who was considered the brightest person in the class continues to be involved with his highly regarded firm. https://cahp-acecp.ca/membership-account/profile/alexander-temporale/. 

At the welcome barbq, John Hull wore a t-shirt featuring his Alberta homestead

Events included a welcoming lunch barbq in Paul Johnston's garden, attendance at the Shaw Festival, and dinner the first evening on the outside patio of the Angel Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Ontario (built in 1789 as The Harmonious Coach House) and reportedly one of the oldest buildings in Canada. 

The following day some of us played golf and then gathered for lunch on the waterfront patio of the Niagara-on-the-Lake golf club, (the oldest course in North America). 

That evening, seven of us had an elegant dinner at The Queens Landing Inn https://www.vintage-hotels.com/queens-landing/ . 

Judy Stauffer, John Hull and Curt McGuire. 

 I arrived a day early before the events and managed to try out some local wines. While Niagara wines are generally not considered as good as Okanagan wines, there are a surprising number of wineries in the region. 

This was my first visit to NOTL in over 40 years. I could not get over how beautiful it is. If anything, it is too beautiful. Like Venice Italy, it is becoming a place dominated by tourists, rather than a place in which to live. The town has an incredible history, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara-on-the-Lake.

I had hoped to stay at the Pillar and Post, where I stayed the last time I was there. However, it, and every other hotel and guest house were fully booked when I was seeking accommodation months ago. 

But I luckily got into the Oban Inn, across from the Golf Course. https://oban.com/ It was very good, although unfortunately the spa facilities were not available after 3pm. I particularly liked having this elegant board room next to my room, where I could work and impress people during Zoom meetings!

John Hull said I was lucky not to stay at the Pillar and Post. He was disappointed with it.

To those classmates who for one reason or another decided not to attend the reunion, you missed a great couple of days. To those who could not attend due to poor health, (and Harry, I'm talking to you,) you were missed. But hopefully, some of you will show up for a 60th reunion in 2030.  And bring your spouses. Here are five of the six who came this year! (Why is it the women always look younger than the men?)

Judy Stauffer and John Hull. Don't be fooled by the canes, Hull still plays a good game of golf, although his recollection of our night together with those girls from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, during the infamous 1965 East Coast blackout was not as vivid as I would have expected.