A BC Liberal sponsored roundtable suggests more spending is needed for housing and transportation – Kelowna News – Castanet.net

Photo: BC Liberals

Ben Stewart

The BC Liberals are calling on the provincial government to increase spending on housing and transportation in the province.

The opposition party made the call following a recent virtual roundtable hosted by the Liberal caucus.

The roundtable was attended by about 170 people from across the province.

Kelowna West MLA Ben Stewart, who also serves as the Liberal housing critic says in order to make housing more affordable, the housing stock needs to increase.

Many participants remarked on the lack of supply, and the need for more purpose-built rental housing and more homes for sale across B.C.," said Stewart.

"This becomes even more urgent in light of the BC Real Estate Associations recent finding that the supply of homes for sale in B.C. has hit a 21-year low.

"Under these circumstances, it would take an estimated 34 years to save for a typical Vancouver home its time for the government to take action on affordability and get serious about increasing supply.

The latest CMHA report indicates the rental vacancy rate in the province is 2.4 per cent in communities with a population greater than 10,000.

The Liberals also say they heard from people who are feeling the strain of a lack of sustainable transportation networks to and from their communities.

Whether it is a lack of transit options in Surrey, the need for inter-city bus services including in northern B.C., the Kootenays, and on Vancouver Island, or the demand for the completion of the four-laning of Highway 1 beyond Kamloops to the Alberta border without further delays, it is critical that the NDP invests more in transportation throughout our province," said Michael Lee, MLA for Vancouver-Langara and Liberal transportation critic.

"We need to ensure that during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, communities have access to the transportation options they rely on and need.

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A BC Liberal sponsored roundtable suggests more spending is needed for housing and transportation - Kelowna News - Castanet.net