The rent is too damn high: David Eby’s plan doesn’t go far enough

City Council candidate Sean Orr vows to push the provincial government for vacancy control and public housing 

Vancouver, B.C. – With just two weeks until the municipal elections, a renters’ rebellion is brewing in Vancouver.

Sean Orr, candidate for city council with VOTE Socialist, will be speaking to supporters at a campaign event Saturday, October 1 at 12:30p.m. at Robson Square.

The rally featuring Orr and supporters will take place in advance of the Last Candidate Standing event hosted later that day at UBC Robson Square campus. Media are invited to attend the 12:30p.m. rally. 

In advance of Saturday’s events, Sean Orr released the following statement responding to B.C. NDP leadership candidate David Eby’s housing platform. 

“As a municipal candidate advocating for a vast expansion of non-market housing and greater protections for renters, David Eby’s housing platform is like stepping into a lukewarm bath in a rusted tub on a freezing night. It’s not terrible, it’s just not what you need.

We need progressive taxes on land appreciation, more coops and social housing, more community land trusts, tougher action on short-term rentals, an overhaul of BC Housing and the RTB. 

VOTE Socialist wants to recognize that many of the good policy promises from Eby are in large part the result of hard-fought battles by housing activists – things like the flipping tax and the Right of First Refusal, which I have passionately advocated for in this campaign.

Another key policy missing from this announcement is a promise to implement real rent control, or vacancy control, so that landlords are not incentivized to squeeze out tenants so they can jack up the rents. 

So while I think it’s a good start, I’ll keep fighting for a bold and expansive plan to tackle this crisis. When I am on City Council, I will be a champion for renters and for organized tenant movements that are campaigning for real rent control, landlord licensing, and of course the construction of many thousands of units annually of public and social housing units that working class and poor people can afford.” 

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If you would like to schedule an interview with Sean Orr please email media@votesocialist.ca