Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Chad Klassen

2022 MUNICIPAL ELECTION

ELECTION ISSUES: Affordability and taxes

Oct 12, 2022 | 11:32 AM

In the second installment of our election issues, we look at affordability and taxes. Many of the candidates point to the need for more housing stock in the city.

KAMLOOPS — Mayoral candidate Arjun Singh says the issue of affordable housing can be and has been a controversial topic in Kamloops. He’s proposing a Citizens’ Assembly on Housing Supply and Affordability.

“There are a whole bunch of things that council or city hall can do around streamlining permitting for housing, looking at better public engagement practices that are more early on in the process,” noted Singh. “Again, talking about parking, zoning for more density. So instead of having single-family homes zoned, you have maybe an opportunity for a four-plex or a six-plex.”

Density is a big part of the city’s KamPlan to build more units over the next two decades.

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Question of the Week

Should Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson apologize or resign after it was found he breached a section of council's code of conduct for allowing false or misleading information to be communicated?

Dec 09, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Donald has it wrong - again

Dec 08, 2024

Dieter Dudy says increasing the housing stock will go a long way in helping bring prices down. He says there’s too much demand and not enough supply in the city. As mayor, Dudy would help to reduce the red tape that slows down housing developments.

“What we need to do is streamline our permitting and actually make it easier for developers to come and submit their plans, so if everything is checked off in terms of the requirements that it’s just straight ahead, get ‘er done instead of having to wait nine months to a year,” said Dudy.

Reid Hamer-Jackson says instead of giving out 10-year tax exemptions to hotels, which going to cost the average taxpayer, the city should be encouraging the redevelopment of apartments.

“Why don’t we look at some tax exemptions for people who own apartment buildings that are one-storey, two stories high,” he noted. “They’re built with big parking platforms, so why not go up? You could triple spectrum and that’s going to help huge, and they’re all in great spots.”

Hamer-Jackson says the city should be leaning on the local Canadian Home Builders’ Association.

Ray Dhaliwal feels the same way. He is all for putting more units on a smaller footprint, not only for more housing but cheaper housing, but he would garner advice from the experts.

“As the mayor, I would like to form a group of like-minded people that are in the business community and that are in the building community and bring it forward. We’re not the experts on that. They are. They build it every day, so I’d like to listen to them and get their feedback on it,” said Dhaliwal. “If it’s something we can do and it makes sense, that’s what makes a good, strong city.”

In terms of taxes, Sadie Hunter says inflation has impacted everyone, including the city, and it’s difficult to have any control over that. For example, she says the cost of PVC piping went up 30 per cent in the last year.

However, she notes the city can be more critical about how it’s spending money.

“How we can continue to balance service delivery for what we’re already in charge of in terms of sewer, roads, recreation facilities. Everything in the parks, everything that’s around us that we quite often take for granted because it’s just there. It’s only when it doesn’t work, there’s something wrong we notice it. But how can we do that without raising taxes because cost for service delivery right now is also increasing,” said Hunter.