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Cabinet officials

Gregor Robertson's Housing Legacy: A Mixed Record for Vancouver's Former Mayor

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As Canada's new housing minister, Gregor Robertson's tenure as Vancouver's mayor has come under scrutiny. While some praise his efforts to address the city's affordability crisis, others criticize his mixed record on homelessness. Robertson's critics and supporters are watching to see how he will handle a housing affordability crisis he once struggled to get higher levels of government to take seriously.

Key Takeaways:

  • Robertson had a mixed record as mayor, with some successes but also notable failures, including not delivering on his promise to end street homelessness.
  • His STIR (Short-Term Incentives for Rental) program aimed to encourage developers to build rental homes but was criticized for not providing enough affordable housing.
  • Robertson initiated a plan to build 1,000 social-housing units on city-owned land, but only three projects have started construction, and one remains undeveloped.
  • Critics worry that Robertson will prioritize environmental objectives over affordability, citing additional costs of up to $60,000 per home for policies like energy efficiency and water recycling.
  • Supporters, like Rick Ilich, appreciate Robertson's business-oriented approach and hope he will bring a level-headed perspective to addressing the housing crisis.
  • Former mayor Robertson's operation has four current employees at Nexii: Stu Harrison, Balraj Lally, Bruce Labnick, and Tanya Campbell.

Statistics:

  • 10 years: The length of Robertson's tenure as mayor.
  • 1,000: The number of social-housing units Robertson planned to build on city-owned land.
  • $55,000 to $60,000: The additional costs per home for policies like energy efficiency and water recycling.
  • 3: The number of projects that have started construction under Robertson's plan.
  • 1: The number of undeveloped sites remaining from Robertson's social-housing plan.

Sources:

  • Gregor Robertson's housing legacy: A Vancouver mayor's mixed record - The Globe and Mail, no date provided.
  • Gregor Robertson on the housing crisis - Vancouver Courier, no date provided.
  • “A changed man?”: Critics weigh in on Gregor Robertson’s new housing minister role - The Vancouver Sun, no date provided.

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