Province increases homeowner grants threshold
British Columbians who own homes worth up to $1.285 million may be eligible to receive the entire homeowners’ grant this year, after the Province raised the threshold to accommodate rising property values. BC Assessment estimates the value of all homes based on their market value on July 1 each year. The Province then reviews...
Top five mortgage trends of 2011
By: Rob McLister, Canadian Mortgage Trends Cheap money fuelled another buoyant year for real estate in 2011. That helped housing values climb a wall of worry (prices rose another 4.6 percent year over year as of November) despite numerous predictions of a correction. Mortgage balances went along for the ride, growing another 7 percent. 2011 was a […]
Globalized bigness...and why Santa Claus is no longer believable
When Santa Claus was delivering a few token Christmas gifts to a few houses in a few little villages in northern Europe, he seemed believable because his task was possible. But a globalized Santa, required to travel at searing speeds to distribute billions of gifts to billions of households, simply boggles belief. Despite the...
US-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council plans Orwellian transportation pact
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second of three articles by Nelle Maxey examining the wide-ranging ramifications for the Canadian public, economy and environment of the new Canada-US Border Security Deal and its ancillary agreements. With my first article on this topic I set the background for Canada's new trade deal with the US...
OP/ED: CTF promotes net zero mandate to keep property taxes down
By: Jordan Bateman, B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation The stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve is usually a cause for celebration. This year, the bell tolls ominously for property taxpayers across British Columbia. At least two dozen Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) contracts expire on Dec. 31, 2011, affecting thousands of […]
Border security deal's ugly twin carries major energy and environmental implications for Canada
The Harper government officially announced in recent weeks a new Border Security deal with the US. However, little press space was given to the ugly twin of this deal - the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) and their "Joint Action Plan". The RCC was set up to "streamline" regulations in four economic...
BC Hydro smart meter installs violating privacy: report
BC Hydro failed to notify customers who received new smart meters about how their personal information was being collected and used, the CBC is reporting. Elizabeth Denham, B.C.’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, released a report assessing the privacy and security of BC Hydro’s smart meter program, stating the Crown corporation is not fully in compliance […]
New residential care rates benefit low-income seniors
About a quarter of seniors in residential care in B.C. will now receive up to an additional $600 a year. The change is the result of the Province increasing the minimum monthly disposal income amount for residential care clients to accommodate a federal government supplement top-up of $50. Under a revised residential care rate structure, the […]
OP/ED: Occupy Vancouver blocks New Brighton Park Port
On a crisp and sunny afternoon, over one hundred Occupy protesters held a rally and march in support of the Occupy movements all across the West Coast of Turtle Island (North America) to send a strong and clear message to the 1%. “We here to support workers who are under union busting, who aren’t even […]
Xiao Zhang Case:BC courts GUILTY of contempt
If only BC courts showed the same respect for the courts and the legal system that they demand--or least hope--of us. But they don’t. BC judges and BC courts have often made a complete mockery of our laws, the justice system and the citizenry’s expectations to see justice done and be protected from the evil that dwell among...
