This is a podcast for people who love Vancouver, BC and want to know her better. Host Mike Klassen engages in conversations with compelling guests on housing affordability, climate change, the arts, healthcare, local government, the economy and urban growth. #cdnpoli #bcpoli #vanpoli #housing #economy #climate #arts
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Vancouver Overcast (Episode 21): Michael Mortensen, Urban Planning Consultant
Episode 21
Monday, July 22, 2024 • Duration 56:20
On Episode 21 we hear from Urban Planner and Development Consultant and founder of Liveable City Planning Ltd Michael Mortensen. Michael is a seasoned urban planner and development strategist, has left an indelible mark on Vancouver’s skyline. He began his own company Livable City Planning Ltd., where he navigates the complexities of both private and public sector developments.
Vancouver Overcast (Episode 20): Sarah Kirby-Yung, City Councillor
Episode 20
Thursday, March 21, 2024 • Duration 44:46
In Episode 20 we're joined by Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung. Now in her 2nd term, there are few portfolios Sarah hasn't taken on during her time on Vancouver City Council. Councillor Kirby-Yung is known as a fierce advocate for a livable, vibrant, and culturally rich Vancouver. In this conversation we gain insights into her work on behalf of the city, and what drew her into public life.
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 19): Year in Review with Councillor Daniel Fontaine (New Westminster)
Episode 19
Friday, September 8, 2023 • Duration 58:41
City councillors Mike Klassen (Vancouver) and Daniel Fontaine (New Westminster) break down some of the top issues they've been immersed in since being sworn into office late last year. Each discusses how they've adjusted to public life and what their goals are in the 2nd year of their term in office.
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 18): Can Vancouver’s housing ever be affordable again?
Friday, June 24, 2022 • Duration 55:05
Mike speaks with housing policy expert and developer Michael Geller, who brings 5 decades of experience in the housing industry and has been an important voice on the 'missing middle' of housing. The tweet referred to by Michael in the golf club locker room is here: https://twitter.com/michaelgeller/status/1538319049754439680
Avi Barzelai (barzelai.ca) is @EastVanBuilder on Twitter. Avi has been sharing threads on the hard and soft costs of housing. Here is one of those threads: https://twitter.com/EastVanBuilder/status/1538279237047623680
Be sure to subscribe, like and rate Vancouver Overcast podcast. Visit https://www.overcastyvr.ca for more information.
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 17): 2021’s Top Stories in B.C. Local Gov’t (Part Two)
Friday, January 14, 2022 • Duration 37:26
Our podcast guest Daniel Fontaine is a longtime friend with a superlative background in politics and government. He is the Deputy Minster and CEO of Métis Nation British Columbia.
Daniel has more than 15 years of senior management experience in public relations and governmental affairs, including serving as Chief of Staff to Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, where I had the pleasure to work closely with him.
Fontaine was Chief Public Affairs Officer for Mitacs, an influential non-profit organization that links industries and post-secondary institutions to advance relevant industry research. He then took the post as CEO of the BC Care Providers Association, where we once again had the opportunity to work together in support of B.C. seniors and the people who care for them.
It is our work together as co-founders of CityCaucus.com, a groundbreaking civic politics website that garnered over 5 million page views during its three-and-a-half-year run. Daniel continues his active interest in local government politics as the founding board president of the New West Progressives elector organization.
SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE the podcast.
Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube
Listen to past episodes at https://www.overcastyvr.ca
Want more of this programming? Consider supporting the podcast at https://patreon.com/overcastyvr
Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @OvercastYVR
Recorded on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
STORIES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE
August
BC Opioid Crisis: Overdose awareness day shines light on more than 7,700 B.C. lives lost — and what's still at stake | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/overdose-awareness-day-shines-light-on-more-than-7-000-b-c-lives-lost-and-what-s-still-at-stake-1.6159224
September
Vancouver council OKs court order against Sahota-owned SRO https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-council-oks-court-order-against-sahota-owned-sro
October
Former Vancouver mayor Philip Owen dead at 88 | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/philip-owen-dead-88-1.6196737
Wastewater project delay one of several billion-dollar questions facing Metro Vancouver | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-van-budgets-wastewater-iona-north-vancouver-1.6201226
November
BC Disaster Response: Flood management in B.C. is left up to municipalities. Should it be? | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/flood-management-province-bc-jurisdiction-1.6261541
FVRD’s Jason Lum: The bureaucracy and the flood: disaster hits the valley’s rural communities https://fvcurrent.com/article/fvrd-flood-funding-delay/
December
Vancouver 6.53% tax increase: City taxpayers stuck with tab from Vancouver council's stratospheric spending - Commentary | Business in Vancouver
https://biv.com/article/2021/12/city-taxpayers-stuck-tab-vancouver-councils-stratospheric-spending
CityCaucus 2021 Honourable Mention list
Spencer Coyne, mayor of Princeton, B.C.
Linda Brown, mayor of Merritt, B.C.
Chief Arnold Lampreau, Shackan First Nation
CityCaucus Local Government Leader of 2021
Henry Braun, mayor of Abbotsford, B.C.
https://biv.com/article/2021/12/abbotsford-mayor-henry-braun-proves-his-depth-flood-crisis
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 16): 2021’s Top Stories in B.C. Local Gov’t (Part One)
Sunday, January 2, 2022 • Duration 42:13
Our podcast guest Daniel Fontaine is a longtime friend with a superlative background in politics and government. He is the Deputy Minster and CEO of Métis Nation British Columbia.
Daniel has more than 15 years of senior management experience in public relations and governmental affairs, including serving as Chief of Staff to Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, where I had the pleasure to work closely with him.
Fontaine was Chief Public Affairs Officer for Mitacs, an influential non-profit organization that links industries and post-secondary institutions to advance relevant industry research. He then took the post as CEO of the BC Care Providers Association, where we once again had the opportunity to work together in support of B.C. seniors and the people who care for them.
It is our work together as co-founders of CityCaucus.com, a groundbreaking civic politics website that garnered over 5 million page views during its three-and-a-half-year run. Daniel continues his active interest in local government politics as the founding board president of the New West Progressives elector organization.
SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE the podcast.
Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube
Listen to past episodes at https://www.overcastyvr.ca
Want more of this programming? Consider supporting the podcast at https://patreon.com/overcastyvr
Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @OvercastYVR
Recorded on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
STORIES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE
January
Sadhu Johnston quits as Vancouver city manager
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-city-manager-sadhu-johnston-to-step-down-at-start-of-2021-1.5725102
February
New West backs down on de-funding police proposal
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-west-council-police-budget-1.5897257
Vancouver: Kitsilano site may become home to six-storey rental building https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/real-estate/kitsilano-site-may-become-home-to-six-storey-rental-building-3116697
March
Bike lane debate: Vancouver businesses aim to block motion proposing return of route to Stanley Park | CTV News https://bc.ctvnews.ca/bike-lane-debate-vancouver-businesses-aim-to-block-motion-proposing-return-of-route-to-stanley-park-1.5333790
April
Vancouver's NPA picks John Coupar to run for mayor in 2022 | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/john-coupar-2022-candidate-1.5976740
Reaction from NPA councillors
https://twitter.com/sarahkirby_yung/status/1379643853867651081
Marissen follows suit and announces mayoral run
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-mayor-race-2022-mark-marissen-1.5399419
Will Jody Wilson-Raybould run for mayor of Vancouver, or not? https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/will-jody-wilson-raybould-run-for-mayor-of-vancouver-or-not-3975473
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum to face off against Coun. Brenda Locke in Surrey's 2022 election | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrey-mayor-2021-mccallum-locke-1.6115492
May
Surrey police chief hopes for 'soft launch' this fall https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/surrey-police-chief-hopes-for-soft-launch-this-fall via @VancouverSun
June
Vancouver: Gas-powered sports cars, SUVs face higher street parking fees under Vancouver's anti-pollution proposal | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/city-vancouver-parking-climate-emergency-parking-proposal-1.6065135
Burnaby: Hillman / NWVDLC byelection split — Longtime federal Liberal breaks Big Labour’s grip on Burnaby council https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/council-byelection-marked-by-low-voter-turnout-burnaby-mlas-shot-at-one-candidate-3917583
New West: Downtown business group and new political party clash over Together New West name https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-news/downtown-business-group-and-new-political-party-clash-over-togeth
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 15): The Wine Roundtable — 2021 In Review
Thursday, December 9, 2021 • Duration 47:34
Welcome to Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen Episode 15. On this edition we have brought together a group formally known as the Wine Roundtable. As listeners will discover as I introduce them, each of our 4 guests have a strong involvement in British Columbia’s dynamic wine scene.
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 14): Dr. Sylvain Moreno on defeating dementia
Monday, November 15, 2021 • Duration 37:58
We welcome to the podcast Dr. Sylvain Moreno, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director at Digital Health Circle, as well as being a tenured faculty at SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology, and Special Advisor to the Office of the VP Research and International. Moreno's research focuses on neurotechnologies and their implications for education and rehabilitation. He is the recipient of numerous national and international awards, and his work has been featured in a variety of media, including television and newsprint.
Dr. Moreno led a team of researchers to produce a report that they argue will show the direct correlation between physical activity, and engaging in art in music activities and the onset of dementia. The study titled “Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity, Music and Art Activities Preserved Cognitive Health in Older Adults: An Argument for Social Prescribing Solution” is linked in the show notes.
Research available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2021.693791/full
Digital Health Circle: https://www.digitalhealthcircle.ca
SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE the podcast.
Listen to past episodes at https://www.overcastyvr.ca
Want more of this programming? Consider supporting the podcast at https://patreon.com/overcastyvr
Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @OvercastYVR
Recorded on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 13): Vince Taylor makes sense of Vancouver real estate
Tuesday, October 19, 2021 • Duration 52:50
On Episode 13 of Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen the guest is Vince Taylor, president of Pilothouse Project Marketing.
Vince brings experience from both the developers and marketers’ side of the table and founded Pilothouse over 20 years ago to meet the new demands of local and international real estate sales and marketing.
He has a self-published book out now titled, Beyond the Blindfold, which explores the power of context to unpack echo chambers, examine entrenched views and tackle familiar, but controversial topics—and how it applies to real estate and his approach to business. Find his book here: https://www.amazon.ca/Beyond-Blindfold-Harnessing-Secret-Context/dp/199927850X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Beyond+the+Blindfold&qid=1634618074&sr=8-1
During their conversation, Vince describes himself as a 'free market guy' when it comes to real estate. He dismisses government policies to reduce the cost of housing in Vancouver as ineffective and somewhat futile. City dwellers here rarely have savings or pension plans to afford retirement, which is why a housing investment is critical.
Vince takes a different, more pragmatic view on supporting the social needs of those who cannot care for themselves. He thinks caring for people by providing food and housing is just good business sense, if not just the right thing to do.
Vince and Mike talk about the demographic curve that has preceded the housing affordability challenges, citing the writing of Canadian author David Foot (Boom, Bust and Echo). See that book here: https://www.amazon.ca/Boom-bust-echo-profit-demographic/dp/0921912978/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=boom+bust+and+echo&qid=1634618453&sr=8-1
Fact check: Vince claimed that there were 50,000 people migrating to Metropolitan Vancouver annually prior to the pandemic. A quick check on the numbers shows that number is between 30,000 and 40,000. http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/PlanningPublications/OverviewofMetroVancouversMethodsinProjectingRegionalGrowth.pdf
SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE the podcast.
Listen to past episodes at https://www.overcastyvr.ca
Want more of this programming? Consider supporting the podcast at https://patreon.com/overcastyvr
Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @OvercastYVR
Recorded on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 12): Lisa Dominato & Rob McDowell on how #Elxn44 will affect Metro Vancouver
Thursday, September 30, 2021 • Duration 44:55
With the 44th Canadian federal election (#Elxn44) concluded, we bring in the sharp-eyed political perspectives of Vancouver city councillor Lisa Dominato and community leader Rob McDowell to assess what comes next for Metro Vancouver in return for electing so many government (Liberal) seats. Will issues like affordable housing, climate change, the opioid crisis get the attention they deserve? How will the Canadian Green Party reinvent itself and will it affect municipal Greens? And how to politicians on the centre-right Conservative party revive their fortunes in our cities after a loss of 4 suburban ridings? Plus we discuss the fortunes of the Vision Vancouver party.
Learn how to support this podcast at our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/overcastyvr
Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @OvercastYVR
Listen to past episodes at https://www.overcastyvr.ca
Recorded on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
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