True estate waiting around time period is not important
The forced ready time period for house sales proposed by the authorities is not vital. It would damage sellers and permit consumers to fiddle all around with bids.
What ought to be done is mandatory dwelling-inspection stories by govt-qualified dwelling inspectors to be designed readily available by the seller.
That way purchasers know within just cause what is right or wants addressing when they see the house. No hidden insulation woes and foundations, wiring, roofing, etcetera. would all be inspected and in a report commonly obtainable to the possible consumer.
Making it possible for folks time to get financing, and many others. permits unprepared potential buyers who need to have mandatory pre-approval and know what their funds is prior to bidding on a home.
Buyers must only be bidding on a location they can afford, such as soon after-purchase updates or deficiency correction in any case.
Also, why is the B.C. federal government only allowing for B.C. Assessment to display gross sales facts until March 31? Take the monopoly of property info away from serious-estate brokers and allow the public to see the data that they have compensated for yr round.
The complete income history of the property ought to be offered from the working day it was initially place in the registry.
Eventually, advertising a property is not an auction selling prices and bids ought to be transparent. If anyone wishes a home, they will pay an correct (to them) rate. I have witnessed a current listing for $599,000 go for $820,000 in Nanaimo.
If there was transparency, I guess the province’s assets transfer tax income would suffer.
David Badior

Nanaimo
Elected officials and builders
Right after accusing the B.C. Liberals of staying practically nothing but shills for non-public improvement for around a decade, it is good now to see Housing Minister David Eby is now firmly aligned with Langford Mayor Stew Younger and thoroughly buried in their pockets.
How are developers in a position to purchase blocks of homes, toss individuals out and construct soaring condo blocks on present household house? Countless neighbourhoods have been destroyed, trees and green place demolished, all in the pursuit of greed and affluence.
This is barely a option to our “housing disaster.”
What is the position of keeping democratic elections if our politicians blatantly disregard what folks want and supply the higher hand to builders hoping to get wealthy brief?
Oak Bay isn’t Langford. Persons much better get started battling for what they want, simply because there’s no use crying about it afterward when builders and their newfound mates, specifically our elected officers, take absent what is rightfully ours.
Tara Houle

North Saanich
Homeless? You can park for free of charge
I just drove along Elk Lake Push at midnight. Across from the Beaver Lake Park entrance had been parked about a dozen or much more camper vans and motor homes.
They are clearly there overnight, “camping” for totally free! Now, I’m not in favour of the homeless camping willy-nilly where they you should, but why can the “rich homeless” park where ever they please?
Norma Huff

Colwood
It usually takes a lot more than just one to personnel a care centre
Not to denigrate any knowledgeable registered nurse, but to designate and assign one particular particular person, in an urban environment, to a facility and phone it an Urgent Care Centre is “stretch” of both equally NDP and VIHA proportions.
Ron Irish, MD (ret’d)

North Saanich
Oak Bay requires to aid solve the problem
Oak Bay’s rejection of the Quest proposal — more luxury condos for the rich — diverts focus momentarily from the real difficulty.
That is the actuality that nearly no multi-device/lacking center housing supposed to raise availability of reasonably priced accommodation for 1st-time residence consumers, families, seniors, and many others. has been planned or built in Oak Bay considering the fact that the formal neighborhood program was unanimously adopted by council in 2014.
This has not escaped the focus of other folks in Better Victoria and of provincial politicians who are pointing the finger, and rightly so, at Oak Bay for not undertaking its portion as the regional housing crisis carries on to escalate.
Kudos to Coun. Andrew Appleton for recognizing and acknowledging the urgency of the challenge.
I lived in Oak Bay for around 40 decades, and during that time contributed along with so lots of other folks to making the local community the welcoming, inclusive and assorted put we hoped it would be in yrs to occur.
When I was chair of the setting up commission, our group urged council to legalize and regulate current secondary suites as a modest beginning, along with other tips, with a aim to making a lot more affordable housing choices in an ever more special and unaffordable local community.
In my closing time period on council, I chaired the OCP renewal committee. The then-new OCP envisioned effectively-managed and progressive alter that we realized would be necessary for Oak Bay to adapt to the times and needs of the region.
Incredibly very little of that has occurred below two successive councils, and the bylaws are even now not aligned with the OCP. This kind of a disappointment and so lots of skipped alternatives.
What I see on my visits to good friends and former neighbours are raising numbers of great, thus unaffordable to most, solitary-household properties becoming developed and replacing the modest, smaller sized and more reasonably priced older properties.
It is time for Oak Bay to step up and instantly get on with creating housing additional offered, numerous, and cost-effective in the local community, therefore contributing to the urgent want in the location.
Pam Copley

Victoria
Never consider control from municipalities
Re: “Housing snub by Oak Bay cited as B.C. eyes permit ability grab,” March 25.
I strongly disagree with the provincial or federal authorities getting away some permit powers out of the hands of local federal government.
Municipal councillors are elected by the residents of the municipality. Most normally, they stay in the municipality. They are voted in based mostly on their platform.
I have lived in four municipalities in the location, Watch Royal, Colwood, Saanich and Oak Bay, and I would be writing this similar letter if I had been still dwelling in any one particular of those people municipalities.
Shifting the permit approval to a increased level will final result “a a person sizing fits all” municipality. I really like British Columbia and you will wreck it.
Even more, if you consider away this ability from the municipality, what will be the next?
Peter Seward

Oak Bay
Butt out, province, and permit locals make a decision
Re: “Housing snub by Oak Bay cited as B.C. eyes permit electric power seize,” March 25.
So Oak Bay shut down the proposal for a 14-device progress on “the Avenue,” and the province is seeking to choose above enhancement approvals to make certain much more housing is built offered there and everywhere.
I really don’t reside in Oak Bay, but I know why other men and women do. The character, features, proximity to the ocean and leafy environment make it a hugely appealing and highly-priced preference.
All these sought-immediately after characteristics are threatened by densification. Oak Bay’s citizens shell out dearly for the enjoyment of dwelling there. I’m guessing they really don’t want far more density, and their council is aware of this.
Why then, is there a presumed obligation on the component of this municipality to improve density? Economical housing is not likely to come about there.
These 14 units would have been in the million-greenback range in any case. Most people today operating in the provider sector aren’t likely to dwell there. Most new immigrants and refugees aren’t likely to dwell there.
And I, a lifelong Victoria resident, am not likely to are living there. I cannot pay for it, and I really don’t assume Oak Bay to adjust to accommodate the likes of me.
Langford and Victoria are below a canopy of building cranes — improvement there abounds. One hardly acknowledges these places any more. Which likely informs Oak Bay council’s selection-producing.
The province wants to butt out and go away local councils to control community concerns.
Kevin Worth

Saanich
Grand options in Oak Bay, but not a lot takes place
Re: “Housing snub by Oak Bay cited as B.C. eyes permit energy get,” March 25.
I stay in Oak Bay and have served on a lot of committees, together with as an adviser to the official neighborhood prepare, the housing retention endeavor power and as administrator of a Facebook webpage, Oak Bay Vanishes.
When the OCP was finished in 2013, we predicted our arranging department to update archaic zoning bylaws and introduce bylaws that supported the program.
The plan supports more housing variety across the local community in the type of townhomes, duplexes. triplexes, secondary suites, yard households and laneway properties, as well as multi-family housing together transportation corridors and bus routes.
Rather, the administration and mayor and council just retain “consulting” the local community and practically nothing moves to motion. Even the secondary-suite strategy is complex and convoluted and not still in location just after a few surveys and much more than 10 yrs of questionnaires, review and session.
In my 12 years in Oak Bay, NIMBYism, workers turnover in the CAO position and the setting up division alongside with reticence on the aspect of successive councils have contributed to the deficiency of action on much-needed zoning bylaw alter.
The much more reasonably priced smaller houses have continued to vanish and are replaced by much greater solitary-loved ones homes, many of which are simply designed by a number of builders on speculation.
Oak Bay will not step up to do its portion on new forms of housing except if compelled to. The Quest task could have been a proposal for Reside/Work studio apartments and attracted young individuals to our community or inexpensive units with some rental housing rather of higher-conclude condos for seniors and out of town investors.
It was not what’s desired or required. Sure, the units would have bought for a million as well as or minus a hundred thousand, but this does not deal with the housing difficulty right here.
Jan Mears

Oak Bay
Unfold the housing during B.C.
I am relatively shocked at the evident myopic views expressed by Housing Minister David Eby.
Most audience will have to marvel why all that new construction is envisioned to be crafted in the Larger Victoria area.
Come on, British Columbia is greater than most European countries. There are quite a few venues for building in other parts of the Island. Why cram each and every new development in the funds metropolis?
The Lower Mainland is also a incredibly beautiful locale. New housing could easily be diverted to areas this kind of as Langley, Aldergrove and further than all the way to Hope. What about Inside towns this sort of as the Vernon and Kelowna regions?
We could develop our tiny communities these kinds of as 100 Mile Residence. If persons want to come to B.C., they ought to be steered absent from the Island by publicizing prospects there, somewhat than building the lessen Island area, which will usually grow to be a substantial “sardine can.”
We have so a lot land available, let us use it properly and construct complete new communities there, if a housing crunch is seriously as problematic as our politicians suggest.
Eric J. Ronse

Shawnigan Lake
Sledgehammer awaits if rubber stamp not applied
Re: “Housing snub by Oak Bay cited as B.C. eyes allow energy seize,” March 25.
That odd audio you’ve been hearing these days is the audio of builders and builders rubbing their palms together in anticipatory glee about Housing Minister David Eby’s looming decision to eliminate housing allow acceptance out of nearby government’s palms.
They will have to be thinking: “What a wonderful strategy to use the motherhood challenge of housing to subvert nearby government’s democratic right of self-perseverance.” If a council does not promptly give the Langford rubber stamp, down will come the ministerial sledgehammer.
To paraphrase Orwell, we’re heading into an era the place all democracy is equal, but some is far more equal than many others.
Jamie Masters

Victoria
Set the ICBC rebate to better use
Perhaps all those of us who do not require the ICBC rebate would donate to providers for individuals who have need to have, but do not push, these as to the Mustard Seed foods financial institution, Our Area, Amazing Assist, etc.
Federal government rebates can be an possibility to redirect govt funding.
Linda Cooney

Victoria
Electric powered-vehicle owners really should pay their share
I am high-quality with the rebate to people today with gasoline- or diesel-run cars and trucks.
Why would all electrical motor vehicle owners like the Tesla/Leaf proprietors get the rebate?
They fork out nothing at all for highway maintenance or road construction, like petroleum-fuelled motor vehicles do every time they fill up. Let us level the field and get them paying out their fair share as very well.
Bill Hinds

North Saanich
Recognize doctors to deliver additional below
My spouse and I are stunned that our dependable medical professional can’t manage to keep his South Cowichan Medical Clinic open. In two months we will have no health care provider and minor prospect of staying “assigned” a person by way of Wellness Hook up Registry.
In Canada we shell out among the the most and get the minimum from our wellbeing-treatment method. As the Fraser Institute reported in November: “Canada, one particular of the highest spenders among common health-care programs, ranks modest to very poor on overall performance.”
The bad outcomes are owing to coverage and are in spite of the herculean perform by physicians. Each and every 1 of the physicians we have recognized has been exceptionally qualified, really hard working and engaged. Physicians have been stressed by the coronavirus and the weaknesses in our procedure uncovered.
Much more health professionals could be captivated to the province by better appreciating their energies. Fork out them enough to make the extensive several hours worthwhile. Make it possible for them to use their abilities by way of much more client “face time” and less paperwork.
We ought to be equipped to attract much more physicians. The Island life-style is very good, but the forms is terrible. What can be performed?
Chris and Anne Gatfield

Mill Bay
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