BC Business
Hasta la Vista, viaducts
Envisioning VancouverIn a narrow vote (5/4) along party lines, the Vancouver city council voted last night to demolish the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts. The plan is to replace the viaducts with a new two-way ramp connecting Georgia with a new two-way, six-lane Pacific Boulevard, and free up two city-owned blocks of land. The vote took place after 38 stakeholder meetings, 13 open houses and comments from more than 50 speakers. Mayor Robertson and Vision Vancouver council members voted for—after speaking about parks and affordable housing. NPA and Green Party voted against and shared their reasons on Twitter: Councillor George Affleck, wonders where the money will come from, and Adriane Carr worries there’s still no firm date for the long delayed Creekside Park. Investigative reporter Bob Mackin argues that the real winners are the city’s development crowd, while BCBusiness contributor Frances Bula explains why she’ll miss them when they go. Staff now begins to plan and negotiate how the viaducts will be removed and report back to council within 18 months. Construction could start in late 2017 and be complete by 2020.
Clean cashRenewing B.C.’s commitment to climate leadership would create as many as eyebrow-raising 900,000 new jobs by 2050, according to a study from Clean Energy Canada. The SFU-based institute’s report argues that strong climate action “would deliver increased economic activity, create new jobs, reduce household energy costs and better position B.C. businesses to compete, while also cutting carbon pollution.” With stronger climate policies in effect, provincial GDP would grow at a rate of two per cent, adding $46 billion over the next 10 years, and nearly doubling by 2050. That growth would occur, however, at the same scale without unspecified climate policies. But the report argues that there are concrete savings in going green: by 2025 and average households would save $1200 (rural) areas and $900 (urban) simply by replacing old furnaces and vehicles.
Smoke SignalsIllegal, contraband tobacco products – those without mandated health warnings and without age-verification checks– are being sold in B.C. at a rate 50 per cent higher than its neighbour Alberta, according to a survey conducted by the cigarette-vending Western Convenience Stores Association (WCSA). Rates are highest in Surrey, Vancouver and Richmond, but “no matter where you live in B.C, you can purchase and consume illegal cigarettes,” said Andrew Klukas, President of the WCSA, in a release. “Contraband tobacco is consistently available in schools and in communities across the province,” The illegal tobacco rate remained strongest in high schools, he said, where it’s “often sold out of the back of cars where no one ever asks for identification or has a care about the health of students.”