Vancouver Liberals: half property tax for clinics, a rat panel, more recycling depots
The Vancouver Liberals say they would cut property taxes in half for family doctors and walk-in clinics, help deploy free public Wi-Fi in the Downtown Eastside, oppose library cuts, form a panel of experts on rats and open more recycling depots in the areas that need them most.
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Clinics, Libraries, Wi-Fi, Rats and Recycling: what the Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver says
The rest of the Vancouver Liberals' health and environment section is a list of separate local proposals. The first is about doctors. The party says too many young people have no family doctor, and it would cut property taxes in half for family doctors and walk-in clinics in Vancouver, to help existing practices and draw new doctors to the city. Its yacht tax proposal names these clinics among the groups the money would help.
Two items deal with public services. The party would work with Downtown Eastside organizations to help deploy free public Wi-Fi, which it calls essential for safety, health care and essential services. It publishes this item in both French and English. It also says it stands with Vancouver Public Library workers and opposes cuts to library services, calling libraries one of the most important third places, meaning public spaces outside home and work where people meet.
The last two are about the city's environment. The party says Vancouver has the second-highest number of rats of any major city in Canada and is close to passing Toronto, and it would put together a panel of experts, which it calls a blue-ribbon panel, to bring the problem under control. It also says Vancouver recycles only 51% of its beverage containers, the lowest rate in the region, and blames too few Return-It depots. It would open more depots, starting where they are needed most.
The section also raises noise from loud cars and motorcycles at night, and a shrinking tree canopy, which it says is raising electricity use and harming air quality. It names a noise policy and a tree canopy strategy but gives no action for either, so they are not listed as commitments here. Council sets the tax rate, the city budget and business licences, so most of these items are city decisions.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Share of beverage containers the party says Vancouver recycles, which it calls the lowest rate in the region
The party's figureVancouver's rank for the number of rats among major Canadian cities, according to the party
The party's figure5 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Cut property taxes in half for family doctors and walk-in clinics
The Vancouver Liberals would cut property taxes in half for family doctors and walk-in clinics in the City of Vancouver, to help existing practices and attract new doctors.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the property tax rate each year, though the platform does not explain how a lower rate would apply to clinics alone.
Free public Wi-Fi in the Downtown Eastside
The party would work with Downtown Eastside organizations to help deploy free public Wi-Fi, which it says is essential for safety, health care access and essential services.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The party describes this as work with community organizations, so the city would act with partners.
Oppose cuts to the Vancouver Public Library
The party says it stands with Vancouver Public Library workers and opposes cuts that weaken library spaces and community services across Vancouver.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves the city's operating budget each year, and the party links library hours to city spending.
An expert panel on rats
The party would put together a panel of experts, which it calls a blue-ribbon panel, to help gain control of Vancouver's rat problem. It says the city has the second-highest number of rats of any major Canadian city.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council can set up an advisory panel and fund the city's own response.
Open more recycling depots
The party would open more recycling depots across the city, starting in the areas that need them most. It says Vancouver recycles 51% of its beverage containers, the lowest rate in the region.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The platform does not say who would run the new depots. The city controls zoning and business licences for depot sites.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about clinics, libraries, wi-fi, rats and recycling
Would the Vancouver Liberals cut taxes for doctors' offices?
Yes. The Vancouver Liberals would cut property taxes in half for family doctors and walk-in clinics in Vancouver. The party says this would help keep practices open and draw new doctors, since too many young people have no family doctor (party issues page).
What is the Vancouver Liberals' plan for rats?
The Vancouver Liberals would set up a panel of experts to help get Vancouver's rat problem under control. The party says the city has the second-highest number of rats of any major Canadian city and is close to passing Toronto (party issues page).
What do the Vancouver Liberals say about recycling?
The Vancouver Liberals say Vancouver recycles only 51% of its beverage containers, the lowest rate in the region, because there are too few Return-It depots. They would open more depots, starting where they are needed most (party issues page).
Do the Vancouver Liberals support free Wi-Fi in the Downtown Eastside?
Yes. The Vancouver Liberals would work with Downtown Eastside organizations to help deploy free public Wi-Fi, which the party calls essential for safety, health care and essential services (party issues page).
Where do the Vancouver Liberals stand on library cuts?
The Vancouver Liberals say they stand with Vancouver Public Library workers and oppose cuts to library services. The party also says library hours were cut under Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver (party issues page).
Do the Vancouver Liberals have a tree canopy plan?
The Vancouver Liberals list a tree canopy strategy as a heading and say the number of trees in Vancouver is going down, raising electricity use and harming air quality. The page gives no target, date or action for the strategy (party issues page).
ON THE BALLOT
The Vancouver Liberals candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page) SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked