How do we get the housing we need?
The first completed home in the contentious Markinch Place development in Sidney is now listed for sale.
Council voted 4-3 to approve the development; the approving vote appeared to weigh the potential of attracting families with detached housing over all other objections.
In 2016, the median two-bedroom home price in Sidney was $609,450, so the predicted $500,000 average price for three or four bedrooms would have been a steal. The listing price of that first house is actually $999,000.
At the wishful $500,000, less than 16 per cent of Sidney’s (or the CRD’s) existing population could have afforded it using the widely accepted three times gross household income metric (2016 Census Profiles, Statistics Canada).
Fewer than four per cent of households could afford any house over $600,000. Despite building as fast as the trades can do it, the cheapest single-family detached home now listed for sale on the MLS in Sidney as of Aug. 11, 2018 is $639,000.
What other criteria should Sidney be adding to our development approval criteria to get the housing we need?
Let’s make the link between housing cost and the earning potential of the local economy explicit, and see how that changes the conversation about what we prioritize building. If we can ask: how many units are adaptable? How many are three bedrooms? Then surely we can also ask: how many are projected to be affordable for the other 96 per cent of the population?
Sara Duncan
Sidney
Thanks for return of missing bag
On June 7, I was checking into a hotel in Prince Rupert and was distracted for a few minutes, and a woman grabbed my black zippered bag, which I didn’t notice it was missing.
Later that day, I noticed it was gone, and reported it to the RCMP.
When I returned to Victoria on June 17, I found a Facebook message from Jenn Wesley; she was trying to locate me. Her Uncle “Junior” had found the bag near the Rupert Hotel (a block from where it was stolen).
I let her know that my friend Leroy Senum would come get the bag.
Sally Wesley, in Port Simpson, knew Leroy, and knew that he was in Port Simpson at this point, so she sent her nephew to Prince Rupert to get the bag, and bring it to Port Simpson, so that she could give the bag to Leroy.
He brought the bag to Prince Rupert, and gave it to Tina Smith at the Crest.
She brought it to Sidney and on July 16 I rode my bike to Sidney (about two hours) and got the bag from Tina, absolutely everything was returned to me, mainly car keys, phone charger, and other personal items.
I am so grateful to all the people who went out of their way to get this bag back to me!
Norah Macey
Victoria
Newcomer a fan of her new newspaper
Re: “Increased communication is a double-edged sword”
I fully agree. We are living in a different world than I grew up in. That doesn’t make one wrong and one right; it just makes it different. I find there are always pros and cons to “different things, different times, different attitudes, different worlds, different people, etc.”
We recently relocated from Ontario (although I personally hail from Cape Breton Island) to Vancouver Island. After a brief rental in Saanich, we have purchased our final home (hopefully) in Sidney.
I have religiously read the local newspaper since we moved in June. And I have thoroughly enjoyed it!
It is teaching me about this beautiful area, my new home town, and all its happenings. My husband and I have fallen in love with Sidney, Vancouver Island (what little we have yet seen), and its people! I am reminded of very fond memories of Sydney, N.S., where I spent my “growing up”years.
I agree that increased communication must be difficult for you, the reporters.
In following some online sites also, it seems most people that respond/contribute are more negative than positive with responses.
Perhaps those of us enjoying the paper do not let you know, whereas the criticizers often seem more vocal/verbal. I think our new world has given the negative folk more opportunity.
Unfortunately it appears that positive responders are not as committed. I have enjoyed every issue of your newspaper that I have read, and I always read cover to cover. I cut out things to do, and one day they’ll even make it on the calendar.
Thank you very much for your efforts.
I think you’re doing a great job!
Debra Hague
Sidney