By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer On October 9, the Vancouver Tenants Union’s UBC chapter (UBC-VTU) issued ten demands for the UBC Housing authority. The proposals call on UBC Housing to enact tenant protections, establish rent controls, and build equitable housing construction, among other demands. The UBC-VTU advocates for fairer housing standards for students, often incorporating student testimony into their campaigns. They have organized around housing issues in the Lower Mainland, such as their advocacy against housing displacement and large-scale building projects in Vancouver. The Peak interviewed Keegan Colwell, a member of the UBC-VTU. “Right now, there are truly no rights…
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By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Content warning: mentions of systemic violence, overdose, and death From Vancouver to Kelowna, community members are uniting in solidarity for those affected by ongoing tent city policies. In late March, residents along the Okanagan rail…
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By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Content warning: Mentions of racism, Indigenous displacement, and substance use. On February 26, Vancouver City Council voted “yes” on mayor Ken Sim’s motion to freeze the construction of new supportive housing units in the city.…
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By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer Housing as a necessity In 1976, Canada agreed to recognize housing as a human right, adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) drafted by the United Nations. A right to housing does not…
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By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer Content warning: non-graphic mentions of hate crimes against racialized communities. This year, the Canadian government announced its first-ever limit for temporary residents, which includes temporary foreign workers, international students, and asylum claimants. Amid this decision,…
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By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer On July 18, the BC government launched a website to “better protect renters from being evicted in bad faith.” When evicting a tenant for landlord use, landlords are now required to use the website to…
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By: Peter Runn, SFU Student There’s a saying I’ve heard in Vancouver: “You can’t put a price on those mountains.” But landlords can and do. It costs two full-time minimum wage jobs to afford a bedroom in the Lower Mainland,…
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By: Olivia Sherman Content warning: brief mention of colonial violence. On October 26, Canadian magazine The Walrus hosted a series of speakers, ranging from experts to activists, to discuss equitable housing. The seven speakers each had seven minutes to present…
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By: Olivia Sherman, News Writer On June 26, Beedie Holding Ltd’s controversial condo was approved for development in central Chinatown. This was the sixth and final time Beedie attempted to get the condo approved, with five other attempts spanning over…
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By: Isabella Urbani, Staff Writer Editor’s Note: A correction was made to this article on June 12, 2023 to note that room prices are $3,920, regardless of room type. On May 19, SFU announced the opening of its newest residency…
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