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New Fire Safety Act aims to modernize fire safety regulations in B.C.

New legislation was tabled today to modernize the regulatory framework for fire safety in British Columbia. The Fire Safety Act will replace the Fire Services Act, legislation that has not had substantial updates since 1979. The new act will: improve fire c...
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Premier announces $355 million affordable housing investment for B.C.

The Canadian Press Details are still being worked out, and B.C. Housing said it will seek proposals from municipalities, non-profit societies and other community groups interested in creating appropriate developments   VANCOUVER — British Columbia has committed...
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Protect our oceans, and get it done already

By Mike Harcourt, Times Colonist Greater Victoria’s daily flush of 130 million litres of raw sewage and 40,000 kilograms of solids into Haro Strait and toward Race Rocks is neither environmentally nor politically sustainable. Just ask Washington state Gov. Jay I...
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Do cities require too many parking stalls be built?

Buyers of condos in urban centres near transit have little need for cars  By Kevin Griffin, Vancouver Sun A real estate developer says that a special case needs to be made to ease parking requirements for residential construction in dense new urban areas such as...
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Affordable rentals on their way

Rebecca Aldous / Whistler Question Up to 100 Whistler employees may find themselves in affordable rental units early next year. Last week the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) approved rezoning of municipally owned land to pave the way for 27 resident restr...
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Canada builders shift from condos to rentals amid investor demand

By Andrea Hopkins TORONTO (Reuters) - Amid fears of a bubble in condominium prices in Canada's largest cities, developers say they are shifting from building condos to high-rise rental apartments, as institutional investors look for assets with steady cash flow. ...
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New housing incentives promised for B.C. budget

BY ROB SHAW, VANCOUVER SUN VICTORIA — The B.C. budget this month will make it easier for some people to buy a home, encourage the construction of new housing and put in place measures to track data on home sales and purchases, says the finance minister. Mike de ...
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Will 2016 be the Year of the Condo?

BY BARBARA YAFFE, VANCOUVER SUN Condominium units have long been viewed as the poor cousins of single-family houses in Vancouver’s real estate market. But 2016 could well be the Year of the Condo. Realtor Patrick Weeks foresees only moderate growth this year in ...