Cambie Report

Lots to catch up on in Vancouver city politics. We start off discussing the court action aims to remove Vancouver city councillor Michael Wiebe from office before turning to council's split over mandatory masks . Those splits are made apparent by an intrepid Reddit user who plotted councillors votes on the urbanist/left-right chart, which explains why Vancouver's mayor was ‘flabbergasted’ in housi...

We look at  the Cambie Report's latest story on the $40,000 being spent on Facbeook ads by a group called BC Rental Project.  A new report suggests Michael Wiebe might need to resign based on his voting for patio permits that may have benefited his business.  Those calls may be a bit premature but it's quite the allegation. Mayor Kennedy Stewart has a new housing home that promises to provide home...

Vile anti-homeless rhetoric is rampant in Vancouver, including from NPA board members, leading to a deepening schism with the elected caucus. Perhaps this is part of why Ken Sim says he's going to run against the party in the next election. In Surrey, a poll from the National Police Federation sparks rumours about a Dianne Watts comeback. And TransLink's latest updates on the Broadway subway and S...

Lawyer Micah Goldberg joins Ian & Matthew to break down the Park Board's new camping bylaw. Plus NPA drama, housing impasse at city council and byelections in Burnaby. Apologies for Ian's trash audio quality in the first half - not sure what happened there but it gets better. Look for a transcript at cambiereport.ca Follow @micahgoldberg Vancouver Park Board votes in favour of allowing overnight c...

We're back at the mics to start catching up on Vancouver politics. City Council passed a couple motions to look at changing policing in the city, we may get to drink in plazas but have to wear masks on transit. Also Gassy Jack was a pedophile. Pearl Lowe Twitter thread Vancouver council votes to request police ban on street checks Vancouver city council passes motion deprioritizing policing in men...

The Vancouver Just Recovery Coalition is calling on the City of Vancouver to prioritize lessening existing inequalities, respecting Indigenous rights, and tackling the climate emergency. Tessa speaks to co-chairs Kimberely Wong and Matthew Norris about the impacts of the crisis on marginalized communities, the Coalition's joint statement and what needs to happen going forward. Learn more at vancou...

COVID-19 is the biggest shock to transportation in Vancouver since the Olympics. Instead of surging demand, we're seeing collapses and massive mode-shifts. Matthew speaks with Dale Bracewell, the Manager of Transportation Planning at the City of Vancouver about how the City's transportation department is coping with this sudden change and looking to the future. Patrons get access to our full inter...

Ian speaks to Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley and Burnaby Now reporter Dustin Godfrey about the City's response to COVID-19. Our Patron Slack is open to all supporters – Fill out the form for access Burnaby Now: Local journalism needs your support Burnaby losing $5 million-plus a month as budget debate begins Burnaby dragged its feet on COVID-19 protections, says city worker

Translink is in trouble. A complete collapse in ridership and gas tax revenue has punched a half a billion dollar hole in the transit agency's 2020 budget. If they don't get a bailout from higher levels of governments, the service will be unrecognizable. New Westminster Councillor and Transit advocate Patrick Johnstone spoke with Ian on April 26 about the state of Translink's budget and what you c...

The BC Government is moving residents camped in Oppenheimer Park to temporary accommodations in hotel rooms and community centres. We look a bit more at the announcement and then Ian speaks with Councillor and longtime advocate for the Downtown Eastside Jean Swanson about the news. Interview with Jean Swanson starts at 6:33. BC Government Announcement: Province secures safe shelter, supports for p...

Tomorrow would be the first day back at school after spring break for over half a million students across British Columbia. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that all in-class instruction has been cancelled indefinitely as we all heed that important advice from Chief Public Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry to Stay home. In this Community Conversations episode of Cambie Report, Tessa Vikander speaks wi...

Ian speaks to Karen Ward ( @kwardvancouver ) and Garth Mullins ( @garthmullins ) about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people in the downtown eastside and drug users. Check out Crackdown Podcast Photo via Flickr/GoToVan

At the behest of Jean Swanson and Pete Fry, Vancouver declares a homelessness emergency in what was described as a watered down motion that lacks clear targets. Nevertheless the motion maintained a call for vacancy control, so we break down what that is and why some oppose the measure. Vancouver Rape Relief, long criticized for its refusal to serve trans woman, has permanently lost funding from th...

Wet'suwet'en solidarity protests shutdown Vancouver and Mayor Kennedy Stewart weighs in . The Throne Speech hints at goodies for Metro Vancouver. Vancouver council continues to want to have its cake and eat it too . Micah Goldberg joins us to break down two recent court rulings on ride hailing, as well as a challenge to New Westminster's renoviction bylaw . And in our roundup, Richmond wants to ba...

In our first Community Conversation, Tessa Vikander speaks to Brooklyn Fowler and Linnea Strom from the City of Vancouver's LBGTQ2S+ Advisory Committee . The mandate of the LGBTQ2+ Committee is to advise Council and staff on enhancing access and inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit and queer communities to fully participate in City services and civic life. The committee is...

Cambie Report is back for 2020! Matthew and Ian are joined by our new cohost Tessa Vikander to talk snow, RapidBus, CMHC's Annual Rental Report, a review of Vancouver City Council, the arrest of Maxwell Johnson and his grandaughter and the latest pigeon drama gripping the North Shore. Links Follow @TessaVikander RapidBus is here!  TransLink launches new and revamped RapidBus routes in Metro Vancou...

Sam Sullivan is the current MLA for Vancouver False Creek and he was the 38th mayor of Vancouver, serving from December 5, 2005 until December 8, 2008. Sam joins Matthew Naylor and Simon Jackson of Nature Labs. Nature Labs is an interactive online textbook. The discussion touches on Vancouver history, underlying meta-narratives surrounding development in Vancouver and streetcars. Photo by Mark Kin...

Alex Hemingway , of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC office, wrote an article about why he thinks Vancouver's property taxes are still too low . Ian speaks with him about why he thinks that. A special thanks to Cortado Productions for their support editing our show.

Rebecca Bligh calls in to talk about her decision to quit the NPA following a "far right" turn by its board of directors. Then Ian and Matthew break down the rest of the story. A chandelier under Granville Bridge has drawn significant criticism but it's art. And SkyTrain workers are set to go on strike on Tuesday.

The Squamish Nation looks to build 6000 homes, Vancouver staff propose changes to rental incentives, protests continue in Burnaby and pigeons threaten to bring down a North Vancouver councillor. PolitiCoast's Scott de Lange Boom joins Ian to break it all down. Editing services are provided by our friends at Cortado Productions Thanks to the 100+ people who continues to support the show on Patreon...

Zoe Ferry returns for a jam packed episode with Matthew in which they discuss the Coast Mountain Bus Company job action, the fireworks ban, the Massey Tunnel replacement board approval, all that damn weed plastic, the Broadway plan, and the (now) ongoing construction of the sewage treatment plant in North Van. 

What happened federally that municipal politics should care about? Matthew is joined by Mark Elyas, a municipal and public affairs consultant to discuss the aftermath of the vote.  What does this mean for cities? Will the Broadway Subway get built any faster? Slower? What about that TransMountain  pipeline? Will the federal government be more engaged through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corpora...