Housing Q&A: Graham Bowers, B.C. Conservatives

The Burnaby NOW sent the following five questions on housing to each of the Burnaby candidates.

Candidates were asked to answer each question in 50 words or less. 

Here are the answers from Graham Bowers, running for the B.C. Conservatives in Burnaby-Deer Lake.

1. What city do you live in, and what neighbourhood in that city?

I live in the west end of Burnaby-Deer Lake, near Burnaby Hospital and Central Park.

2. Do you rent or own your own home?

I rent my home.

3.   If you own a home, when did you buy it? How has the current housing market situation impacted you?

n/a

4.  If you rent, or have another housing arrangement, how has the current housing market situation impacted you?

I have been fortunate to live in an affordable home for the past ten years. I know many of the houses and apartments in this area have risen in price dramatically over the past decade. Many neighbours have moved away to the distant suburbs.

5. If there is one single policy that the next provincial government can enact to address a housing need, what would that policy be? Be specific.

We need to reduce regulations that add unnecessarily to the cost of homes, while maintaining regulations that are essential to ensuring the safety of our citizens. The B.C. Conservatives have called for the construction of 200,000 affordable new starter homes on land designated solely for that purpose.