FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2022
VANCOUVER — ABC Vancouver mayoral candidate Ken Sim released the following statement in response to the announcement of Kennedy Stewart’s housing platform:
“Kennedy Stewart has been Mayor for the last four years. His housing record speaks for itself.
“During Kennedy Stewart’s term as Mayor, housing prices have gone up by 18% on the West side of Vancouver and by 28% on the East side of Vancouver. In the last two years alone, average rents city-wide have increased by 30%. Things have gotten so bad that David Eby is considering legislation to force the Mayor’s hand on increasing supply.
“When it comes to social and supportive housing, Kennedy has encouraged an environment of quantity over quality. What’s being offered today in supportive housing is woefully inadequate. Inside an SRO, it can get up to over 40 degrees in the Summer, leading to a seasonal increase in the number of tents in our city.
“In the City of Vancouver, it takes longer for a high-rise apartment building to get built than it did to fight and win in World War II. In the midst of a housing crisis, that’s absolutely unacceptable.
“Kennedy Stewart’s inaction on housing has directly led to the situation we see today — an unaffordable city where younger generations are unable to see a future for themselves and the most vulnerable do not have access to adequate housing.
“We can improve the quality of supportive housing units, we can deliver high-rises within a year, we can double the number of co-ops in the city — we can make meaningful progress on housing but that’s only possible with an ABC majority on Council.”
ABC Vancouver will be releasing its 40+ point housing plan shortly.
-30-
Media Contact:
Taylor Verrall
604-968-3067 | taylor@abcvancouver.ca