A weekly roundup of noteworthy news in municipalities across B.C.
With help from Housing Strategies Inc., the District of Elkford and the District of Sparwood recently conducted a thorough study of the needs and demand assessment within the two communities in the hopes of preventing the loss of existing affordable housing, making better use of existing affordable housing assets and resources, encouraging new development and build additional community capacity to promote new housing development targeting particularly seasonal contractors, seniors and those who rent low income housing.
Busy times within Metro Vancouver as the mayors’ council recently voted against letting its chair and vice-chair sit on the appointed TransLink board that controls the transportation authority from behind closed doors. The Metro Vancouver board is also objecting to the province’s decision to phase out AirCare testing for regular vehicles by the end of 2014.
Elsewhere, rampant flooding continues.
Speaking of TransLink, it has stepped up bus service on 21 high-demand routes across Metro Vancouver while reduced frequency on 18 others where ridership was deemed too low to justify current service levels.
In related news, a number of New Westminster community members have rallied in opposition to a six-lane Pattullo Bridge and in support of transit enhancements for Surrey. Starting at Sapperton Park, the group proceeded to Sapperton Pensioners Hall, where TransLink was holding an open house about the Pattullo Bridge replacement project.
Interesting news on the North Shore where the District of West Vancouver is looking to install electric car fill-up stations and forcing developers to follow suit for all multi-family residential and some larger commercial developments in the future.
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