Letters Nov. 16: This approach to housing is wrong; how a premier gets the job; grateful to be in Canada – Times Colonist
November 16, 2023
Province’s housing push wrong for many reasons
Yes, we have a housing crisis and yes, we need more density in urban areas so as not to pave more greenspace. But allowing up to sixplexes on all currently single‑family lots is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Wrong, because if successful it will result in a tsunami of demolition and new construction, which would be a climate catastrophe. The carbon emitted in creating a new building is greater than what will be emitted operating it for decades.
Wrong, because it will decrease, not increase affordability. New homes are more expensive than older ones, and demolishing existing buildings will add to costs and overflow our landfills.
Wrong, because diverting our scarce construction workforce to expensive small-scale buildings means they can’t build larger, climate-friendly projects – effectively preventing the creation of the affordable housing we desperately need.
