Sept 2016
PAGE 3
Report from the Capital by
David Thomas
I
t’s been two years since I left West Vancouver for the nation’s capital, two winters into a seven winter appointment as the Chairperson of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. My family really misses the west coast, especially in March and April, when winter here seems to never let up, subjecting us to low temperatures for weeks on end. There’s a reason you can skate on the Rideau Canal in winter. One of the perks of the job are the occasional invitations we receive to various Ot-
tawa events. Joanne and I were elated to be invited to the July 14th Bastille Day garden party at the French Embassy situated beside the Prime Minister’s residence. We arrived at the Embassy at 5:30pm to find Ottawa police cruisers parked on both sides of Sussex Drive, emergency lights flashing. Security seemed unusually tight. In addition to the usual men in suits with wires to their ears, uniformed police officers wandered through the gardens. The weather was pleasant with a refreshing breeze coming up from the Ottawa River. We mingled among the dignitaries, and were treated to champagne, and some of the best
cheese and foie gras this side of the Atlantic. At 6:00 pm French Ambassador, Nicholas Chapuis, informed the guests that just an hour before, the horrible attack in Nice had taken place leaving 84 dead. We didn’t see the Ambassador again. The mood for celebration had evaporated. Needless to say, we were emotionally affected by this first-hand experience that is unlike anything we have been exposed to in our West Vancouver lives. My next report will provide information on the Tribunal and my job at hand. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of France.
Photo: Courtesy of David Thomas David and Joanne Thomas enjoying the reception before the devastating news.
Perspectives on the housing market MLA Update Jordan Sturdy
I
mpacts of the newly minted 15% additional property purchase tax on foreign national real estate investors in Metro Vancouver is an interesting question to ponder. As government wrestled with the clearly increasing challenge of housing affordability in the lower mainland it was clear that the circumstances are extraordinarily dynamic and unusually complex. The supply side answer was definitely not satisfying to the many people who tended to focus on foreign demand as the main driver. In a rare moment of unanimity members of the Legislature supported an additional property transfer tax of 15% on purchases by foreign nationals or foreign controlled corporations. This is in addition to 1% property purchase tax on the first $200,000, 2% on
the portion between $200,000 and $2 million and 3% on the portion greater than $2 million, all with the intention of cooling the superheated Metro Vancouver market. The proceeds of the tax will be added to a $75 million affordable housing fund that will be invested in a range of projects right across the Province. Other initiates encompassed in Bill
28, the MISCELLANEOUS STATUTES (HOUSING PRIORITY INITIATIVES) AMENDMENT ACT, 2016 include ending self-regulation in the real estate industry and a vacant home tax option for the City of Vancouver. On budget day 2016, the government instituted the luxury home property transfer tax and eliminated the property transfer tax on new homes under $750,000.
While there is much prognostication, only time will tell what effect these initiatives may have and even then it will be hard to tease the impacts out of variable global and regional economic conditions. Regardless, West Vancouver has such a desirable quality of life that people will continue to move here.
Here she is…SAR 1B by
Scotty Grubb
S
he’s in place at Horseshoe Bay and ready to serve after sea testing for the past month. Only requiring two crew, compared to the four that is required by the main vessel, SAR 1B provides us with the back-up that is necessary in the event that the main boat is in use or unavailable due to maintenance.
At a cost of $400,000, SAR 1B is here due to the generosity of many community supporters. Primary funding has been received from the BC Gaming Commission and the Rotary Club of West Vancouver Sunrise to whom we are grateful. In addition, our thanks go out to the District of West Vancouver, West Vancouver Foundation, West Vancouver Yacht Club, Thunderbird Marina, the Ambleside Tiddlycove Lions Club and many private donations. Thank you everyone from RCM SAR.
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Photo provided
RCM SAR 1B.
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