Housing Justice Update on Canada’s Second Universal Periodic Review – February 4th

January 29th, 2013 in Events

Screen shot 2012 12 03 at 4.28.31 PM Housing Justice Update on Canada’s Second Universal Periodic Review February 4th

 

The Housing Justice Project is addressing the issue of housing access and affordability in Vancouver.  PlaceSpeak is currently hosting a topic page that is providing opportunities for metro Vancouver residents to learn about housing issues and to speak their mind about affordable rental housing priorities and potential solutions.

 

Update on Canada’s Second Universal Periodic Review

In conjunction with this consultation, the Housing Justice Team is holding an Update Session on February 4th on their  activity around Canada’s international human rights obligations that relate to housing. We will also discuss action being taken by a loose coalition of Canadian NGOs to get ready for the session in Geneva. You are invited to come and join the discussion.

 

Details

When: Monday, February 4, 2013, 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Where: Woodward’s SFU, 149 West Hastings—Goldcorp Centre for the Arts 2nd Floor Board Room
RSVP: If possible, please RSVP to myoung@law.ubc.ca.

 

Background

Canada has is undergoing a second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the United Nations Human Rights Council. This Review will assess Canada’s performance in relation to our country’s international human rights commitments. The Review takes place in Geneva, Switzerland this upcoming March.

 

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Mike Harcourt asks Greater Vancouver to take the Urban Futures Survey

June 21st, 2012 in Topics

You may have heard that PlaceSpeak is helping conduct the Metro Vancouver 2012 Urban Futures Survey. The survey is about transportation, housing, arts and culture, land use, and climate change — the key issues for our region’s world-renowned quality of life.

Take the 2012 Urban Futures Survey

Mike Harcourt: Shape the Future that we ALL Want—Take the Urban Futures Survey from PlaceSpeak on Vimeo.

Completing the Urban Futures Survey gives our region the information it needs to plan a better future for you, your family, and your community. I hope you can take 20 minutes to take the survey. You can do so by clicking on this link:

Take the 2012 Urban Futures Survey

 

If you are more comfortable reading Chinese, PlaceSpeak has translated the Urban Future into Chinese Traditional text. The Chinese version can be found here:

城市未來發展調查2012

 

 

Thank-you,

Mike Harcourt Signature32f512 Mike Harcourt asks Greater Vancouver to take the Urban Futures Survey

Mike Harcourt asks Greater Vancouver to take the Urban Futures Survey

Michael Harcourt
Chair, PlaceSpeak Board of Directors
Former Premier of British Columbia (1991-1996) and Mayor of Vancouver (1980-1986).

 

PS: I would really appreciate it if you would help spread the word about this important survey. Please invite your friends and neighbours to take the survey as well. You can also share it on Facebook or Twitter.

 

Claim your place.Speak your mind.

 

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Speak Your Mind on the UBC Housing Action Plan

March 27th, 2012 in Topics

NOTE: This Topic is Now Closed

UBC Housing Action Plan Cover Speak Your Mind on the UBC Housing Action Plan

In order to build a model sustainable university community, UBC is developing a Housing Action Plan to improve housing choice and affordability for faculty, staff and students on the Vancouver campus.

The Housing Action Plan will support the University’s academic mission, and will allow UBC to continue to recruit and retain the highest calibre of faculty, staff and students.

UBC is using PlaceSpeak to invite discussion on the Plan and see how it might be used for other UBC consultations. The four discussion boards on the PlaceSpeak site introduce questions for discussion on selected topics regarding housing affordability and choice on UBC’s Vancouver campus. There is also  a survey where you can tell UBC what you think about PlaceSpeak.

This phase of public consultation extends from March 20 through April 2, 2012.

 

Background

The Community Planning Task Group (CPTG) of the UBC Board of Governors, chaired by Dr. Nassif Ghoussoub, is leading the process of developing a Housing Action Plan for the Vancouver campus. Watch the Housing Action Plan video to learn more!



The Community Planning Task Group has been gathering feedback and information between April 2011 and March 2012 to inform the development of potential housing options. This process began with a thorough review of UBC’s existing housing programs. Several new options were brought forward for consideration as a result of an assessment of other universities’ and jurisdictions’ housing programs and public input.

Faculty, staff, and students have participated actively in three public forums, focus groups, a blog by Dr. Ghoussoub and outreach meetings between April 2011 and March 2012. The faculty/staff housing demand study and the student housing demand study also informed the development of the options.

As part of Plan development, UBC is also releasing a Discussion Paper which outlines potential housing program options.

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Avi Friedman talks about Affordable Housing

October 3rd, 2011 in Video

On September 21st, the SFU Centre for Dialogue—in collaboration with the Urban Development Institute, the City of Vancouver and other partners—hosted a public lecture on affordable housing featuring internationally recognized affordable housing expert Avi Friedman, Professor of Architecture at McGill University.

From the event site:

Metro Vancouver’s many attributes make it a highly desirable place to live and invest. Unfortunately, that makes housing, whether rental or ownership, unaffordable for many of the region’s citizens. The need to think outside the box about lower-cost residential options has become an urgent priority. Renowned international housing expert Dr. Avi Friedman will look at what’s making housing unaffordable in Metro Vancouver—as well as the direct and indirect contributions that affordable housing makes to communities. He will describe potential housing strategies, including examples of local and international projects, that offer innovative affordable housing solutions for this region.

 

Thinking Outside the Box about Affordable Housing

Running time: 1h 42 minutes

For a written analysis of the event, check out this article in The Tyee.

Avi Friedman, Professor, McGill University School of Architecture

Friedman Avi Friedman talks about Affordable HousingDr. Avi Friedman received his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Town Planning from the Israel Institute of Technology, his Master’s Degree from McGill University, and his Doctorate from the University of Montréal. In 1988, he founded the Affordable Homes Program at the McGill School of Architecture where he teaches.

He is known nationally and internationally for his housing innovation and in particular for the Grow Home and Next Home designs. He is the author of ten books and was a syndicated columnist for the CanWest Chain of daily newspapers. He is a practicing architect and the recipient of numerous awards including the Manning Innovation Award and the United Nations World Habitat Award.

In the year 2000 he was selected by Wallpaper magazine as 1 of 10 people from around the world “most likely to change the way we live”.
A similar article was cross-posted on Yurbanism.

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