Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver

MEDIA RELEASE

“Good sense – good faith” solution suggested for Occupy Vancouver and City of Vancouver

Link to PDF

(Vancouver, Nov. 15, 2011) Randy Helten, mayoral candidate for Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver (NSV) today offered a “good sense—good faith” solution for both sides to consider Occupy Vancouver (OV) and the City of Vancouver to consider, aware that other cities have been aggressively clearing out Occupy movement sites, and aware that on November 16 the BC courts are to hear the case brought forward by the City of Vancouver seeking an injunction to remove the “tent city” now located at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

“I sincerely hope that the City will not escalate this situation unnecessarily, and will instead show wisdom, good reason and good faith in the handling of this situation. It won’t help anyone if the City goes in aggressively and creates a conflict,” said Helten, “The current mayor should handle this in a way that will make us proud.” Continue reading →

Terry Martin: Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver is dedicated to grassroots democracy
Terry Martin, November 15, 2011
Straight.com

My name is Terry Martin.

Along with Nicole Benson, Elizabeth Murphy, Marie Kerchum, and Randy Helton, our first-class Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver (NSV) mayoral candidate—a man of integrity, a true democrat, and the strongest choice for mayor in the 2011 Vancouver municipal election—I am seeking your support come election day, November 19. Continue reading →

STIR program controversy: Legal framework flawed, program must be scrapped says West End Neighbours
WEN, November 15, 2011

Media Release PDF Version

(Vancouver, Nov. 15, 2011) West End Neighbours (WEN) has identified concerns with the legal framework of the controversial Short Term Incentives for Rental (STIR) housing program and calls upon the City of Vancouver to discontinue the program. Continue reading →

Randy Helten: This is Vancouver’s most important election in a generation
Randy Helten, November 14, 2011
Straight.com

We are at a major fork in the road. The collective choice of Vancouver voters on November 19 will determine how our city will develop for years to come, and is probably our city’s most important decision in more than a generation. Major land use policies adopted and implemented over the next three years will determine how Vancouver changes for decades to come, and these will affect every aspect of life in our city. Continue reading →

This civic election will direct the next 30 years of planning
Elizabeth Murphy, November 14, 2011
Straight.com

I am running for Vancouver city council with Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver (NSV). There are many reasons for this.

Foremost is my disappointment with the performance of Vision Vancouver this term. My colleagues and I in NSV worked in 2008 to help Vision Vancouver become our civic government as an alternative to the NPA. We did that on the strength of our perception of Gregor Robertson’s election platform and his promises to revive citizen’s involvement in governing our city. However, Vision Vancouver have not followed through on their promises. Continue reading →

INTERVIEW | Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver’s Randy Helten
Sean Antrim, November 13, 2011
The Mainlander.com

The Mainlander’s Sean Antrim sat down with their Mayoral candidate Randy Helten of Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver (NSV) to talk about affordability, accountability, the arts, and Vancouver’s future. It is a tall order for a political party that does not receive corporate and developer donations to get candidates elected. NSV has been fighting an up-hill battle.

Sean Antrim: What amount of development do we need in Vancouver right now? And the reason that I’m asking this question is because many people, and the mainstream press, have criticized Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver as being NIMBY-based. A lot of journalists have been around for a while, and in the 1990s with Gordon Campbell, NIMBY-ism was quite a problem. Continue reading →

Vancouver Vote Map comes to the aid of confused voters
Terry Lavender, November 12, 2011
The Vancouver Observer
http://www.wera.bc.ca/vote2011/

WERA has released a web-based app, Vote Map 2011, that calculates how an individual voter’s positions line up with those of the six major parties (COPE, De-Growth Vancouver, the Greens, Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver, NPA, Vision Vancouver). Continue reading →

Tackling the powerlessness of Vancouver residents
Nicole Benson, November 11, 2011
Straight.com

At age 27, with a background in education, people inevitably ask me why I’ve decided to run for Vancouver city council. The answer is actually quite simple: it’s time to take a stand on behalf of Vancouver residents who want a say in the future of their city. Continue reading →

Marie Kerchum: City council is putting the livability of Vancouver in jeopardy
Marie Kerchum, November 11, 2011
Straight.com

Are Vancouver mayor and council making decisions in the best interests of Vancouver residents?

The question above requires examining the influences on the decision makers and reviewing the resulting pattern of decision-making at city hall.

A key feature of decision-making by Vancouver city councillors involves decisions on development across our city. Those decisions have a dramatic impact on current residents, and future generations, in respect to the livability of our city. Land use decisions and affordability are intimately connected because of the limited availability and price of land in Vancouver. Continue reading →

NSV members have supported neighbourhoods in their struggles with City Hall and developers in numerous areas of Vancouver.

NSV was an informal umbrella group for all neighbourhoods and lobbied at public hearings for all of them when there were spot-rezonings in the neighbourhoods. NSV spoke up for [ARCCA] at hearings for the Arbutus Shopping Centre Redevelopment and for Shannon Mews at 57th and Granville, and for many other neighbourhoods that were fighting City Hall. NSV decided that they should field candidates for mayor and council.  www.arcca.info

Continue reading →