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Monday, March 22 2010
Surrey – the Lower Mainland’s runaway leader this year in single-detached housing starts – received 121 building permit applications for single-detached homes during the first 17 days of March 2010. During the same period, 130 permits were processed and issued. |
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Tuesday, December 15 2009
The City of Vancouver’s deputy city manager, Sadhu Aufochs Johnston, enjoys dual Canadian/American citizenship. He has roots in Vancouver as his father worked as a carpenter here. Apparently Johnston was hired away from Chicago to advance Mayor Gregor Robertson’s green agenda. |
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Monday, December 14 2009
Energy efficient buildings: City of North Vancouver resolutions passed by the Planning Council
− the inclusion of high energy performance standards and EV infrastructure requirements in the Sustainable Development Guidelines, which guide staff analysis on the City’s rezoning applications (at this time this will be a policy framework, not a bylaw requirement); and
− further research on the areas outlined with the Energy Efficient Buildings Working Group, when regular meetings resume in the new year.
− staff are preparing for a Council Workshop with broad representation of stakeholders, including GVHBA, in February or March of 2010.
Further on implications of Green building strategy -->>> |
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Friday, December 11 2009
This advisory comes into effect today, December 11, 2009 and describes a new policy that applies to customers requesting a 400 Amp single-phase service will require an isolation switch ahead of the meter base in the form of a service room. Customers will no longer be able to use a self-contained 400 Amp with an integral current transformer (CT) meter base.
BC Hydro New rules - 400 amps 120/240V- BC Hydro advisory - new requirements for 400A 120/240V metering services |
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Thursday, December 10 2009
OTTAWA (08 December 2009) - Housing starts turned in their strongest performance this year in November, reaching 158,500 units on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest data from Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation (CMHC). That's slightly higher than October's 157,400 units but, in an even more positive sign, most of last month's starts were of single homes. |
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Monday, December 07 2009
All GVHBA members were informed last week that BC Place Stadium will close for renovations in April. Most impacted are the B.C. Boat Show and B.C. Home and Garden Show. |
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Saturday, December 05 2009
"Every segment of our population and every individual has the right to expect from our government a fair deal."
-- Harry S. Truman
In Nov. 7 Westcoast Homes column, I surmised that the only plausible reason the provincial government had for delaying the release of the harmonized sales tax transitional rules for new homes was that it was considering changes to the unreasonably low rebate thresholds. The HST transitional rules define how the provincial portion of the tax will be applied to new homes sold prior to the July 1, 2010 implementation date and ownership or possession occurs on or after July 1. |
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Friday, November 27 2009
On October 29, 2009 the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) announced that the Competition Bureau indicated that a number of fundamental changes should be made to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. CREA was presented with two options: either negotiate a settlement agreement or be subject to the Competition Tribunal. Currently, CREA has chosen to pursue the settlement agreement option. In plain English, this means that the Competition Bureau is trying to force CREA’s hand by saying that we either negotiate changes to the MLS system or CREA can risk serious penalties. The big question remains, what does all this mean? |
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Friday, November 13 2009
According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), October was another encouraging month for housing starts. |
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Friday, October 30 2009
CHBA’s National Education and Training Advisory Committee (NETAC) compiled a list of good practices for new home builders and renovators to consider this flu season. |
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