Dear Editor
Recently the No Vacancy Report – Affordability & Homelessness in (Greater) Vancouver,by the University of Victoria (UVIC) and United Gospel Mission (UGM) was published and reveals the shocking numbers.
How is it possible that our Mayor Corrigan and his councillors dismiss any pledges from the people they swore to take care of? What is going on? Is everyone sitting on their hands with their mouths duct-taped? How can the people that we elected as our representatives consciously execute a “masterful rezoning plan” that leads to extinguishing entire neighbourhoods and people’s lives?
More and more tenants are forced out of their rentals with no place to go. There are no alternatives available. 1,200 people in Burnaby are on the waiting list for affordable housing, it’s 12,500 in Greater Vancouver and 14,000 in all of B.C.
The situation gets worse by the hour, with the approval of every new condo highrise development that leads to demolishing rental buildings and the eviction of its tenants.
This merciless series of demovictions must stop! We need more affordable housing, not less.
The City of Burnaby is taking away what is already sparse, without a plan to replace the 1,400 rental units in the Metrotown area. Between 3,500 to 6,000 renters are in the line of the bulldozer. Many renters are very worried and in disbelief that this is happening to them here in broad daylight the Metrotown neighbourhood. Why is nobody stopping this craziness?
Are the mayor and the councillors failing us? I truly hope the City of Burnaby will come to terms and put a stop to their wrongful doing and let the people be.
Erika Schinzel, Burnaby
