Mayor Gregor Robertson taken to task over Vancouver’s response to snowfall

The Globe and Mail

Critics of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson are calling for a formal inquiry into the city’s response to a bout of winter weather that has left residents frustrated by streets and sidewalks blanketed by ice – as the region prepares for yet another snowfall. …

In Richmond, Mayor Malcolm Brodie said council may take a second look at its bylaw requiring businesses and apartment owners to shovel their sidewalks, but not single-family homeowners. They had been exempted in the past, he said, because of a concern about penalizing older people who might find that task hard. Now, he said, council might reconsider that. “We’ll take a look at the record this year.” …

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Metro Vancouver municipalities spread the word about property tax deferment

Vancouver Sun

In a year when property assessments in North Vancouver skyrocketed, the city’s mayor plans to defer paying his property taxes for the first time.

Darrell Mussatto is taking advantage of a low-interest provincial loan program that allows qualifying B.C. residents to put off paying their property taxes.

“It’s the best deal going, and it doesn’t cost the city a nickel,” said Mussatto. …

Meanwhile this week, Richmond’s finance committee voted to direct staff to “make people aware” of the program. Initially, the staff recommendation had been to “actively promote” the deferral program, but committee members took a step back.

“It was felt that was too strong,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “It’s not good for everybody, but we want to make sure people are aware of it.” …

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Richmond, BC, considering how to legalize, regulate, Airbnb rentals

CBC News

The City of Richmond, B.C., is considering how to legalize short-term rentals.

A staff report tabled Tuesday recommends regulating the operations because it says that would be more practical than banning them outright.

“We’re faced with choices. We can either ignore the problem, attempt to prohibit it, which would be really difficult or we could do what we did with secondary suites,” Mayor Malcolm Brodie told On The Coast host Stephen Quinn.

“We said we would allow them under certain circumstances. We’ll control, we’ll regulate and monitor the situation to make sure there’s some semblance of order.” …

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China Eastern Airlines adds new Canadian link from Nanjing

anna aero

On 20 December Vancouver Airport celebrated the launch of China Eastern Airlines’ new three times weekly service from Nanjing. Representatives from the airline, the Chinese consulate plus airport executives (including Anne Murray, VP of Marketing & Communications) and Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie took part in the ceremonial ribbon cutting. …

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