Letters to the Sun: People who invest in real estate should not be vilified

I vehemently disagree with this obsession to put property owners — and that includes politicians and lawmakers — in a bad light. This intentional blurring of the difference between investors and speculators is inexcusable.

Why is real estate a reasonable asset class for saving for one’s future? Because you can use leverage with reasonable risk. I applaud those who have the discipline, tenacity and patience to invest in properties for their future.

Dr. Frederick Kwong, Vancouver

Comprehensive and provincewide plan is long overdue

Thank you Dan Fumano for an excellent article on our homelessness and housing crisis. I especially commend you for calling out our leadership for their multiple duplicate announcements of the same housing projects, same beds, over and over again. These announcements leave the public with the terribly inaccurate impression that the problem is being adequately addressed. That encourages us to sigh a sigh of relief and let any sense of guilt slip away, while people with addictions and mental illness challenges still suffer horrendous conditions.

That misinformation and intentionally using the lack of data to mask the issue is reprehensible. Fumano’s column in conjunction with Gordon McIntyre’s article on the Redfish Centre highlight the connectivity of these issues and the need for one comprehensive, provincewide plan of attack. Provincial state of emergency?

B.C. has lost over 11,000 people to overdoses since the emergency declaration. That is equivalent to one-quarter of all Canada’s losses during the Second World War.

Provincial state of emergency? Give me a break. Where is the plan that deals with prevention, harm reduction, detox, treatment, housing, mental health and enforcement along with who is accountable for its implementation and what are the means for measuring success and how it is going to be reported publicly? It’s long overdue.

Thank you Ian Mulgrew

Congratulations on your retirement, Ian. Thank you for your humanity, humour, insights, ‘wonder words’ and perspectives. We, your readers, send you a “wealth of memories — and gratitude.

Kathy Anderson, Vancouver

Water metering encourages conservation

Re: “For Metro’s water supply, crunch time has arrived”

As Daphne Bramham points out, the ever tightening water use restrictions in the Lower Mainland are evidence of the impact of a changing climate on our water supply. She asserted that “the only Plan B available is further restrictions.”

I suggest that an effective Plan B to encourage behaviour change for conservation in water use is to expand water metering to all homes on the GVWD network.

Water meters would add fairness into this municipal utility bill too.

Metro Vancouver should implement an incentive program targeted to have water meters in all residential homes within ten years.

Derek Wilson, P.Eng. [ret’d.], Port Moody

New amphitheatre needs appropriate number of modern bathrooms

I recently noted in the paper today that the PNE is planning to build an amphitheatre. Great. Cool, in every sense of the word.

Now that this has been planned, and I guess you have money for, can you please build the appropriate number of new bathroom facilities to accommodate all of us that will visit this venue?

The current lot of bathrooms throughout the entire PNE are probably circa 1950, pokey and pretty much appalling.

Cathy Griffin, Burnaby

Letters to the editor should be sent to [email protected]. The editorial pages editor is Hardip Johal, who can be reached at [email protected].

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