Allen Garr Answers

Affordable Housing

1. What could Vancity do to create more affordable housing for both low- and middle-income Vancouverites?

2. How can Vancity use financial products or services to support the creation of more rental housing units in Vancouver?

This is an incredibly difficult problem that I have watched grow over my many years as a journalist covering politics and development in Vancouver and as a father whose grown up children cannot afford to buy a house in the City.

Canada is the only G8 country without a housing strategy.

B.C. once produced 1,500 units of social and co-op housing a year until the federal government pulled the plug in the early 90's. There were also federal tax incentives to build rental apartments. They too are gone.

Vancity's options are limited particularly given the high cost of land.
That said, Vancity should continue to build social housing following the model my Action running mate Heather Tremain helped develop on Burnaby Mountain; a green, energy efficient project by Vancity Enterprise and SFU Community Trust sold at 20 percent below market.

As a board we should support the city of Vancouver's policy to increase density in an environmentally sustainable way particularly in areas around transit stations. Increased density would reduce the per-unit cost of housing and make transit more cost effective with increased use.

Because Vancity is a major player in the mortgage market, they could sit down with local governments and developers and lead the discussion to develop a strategy to create a variety of affordable housing. This would ultimately have to involve senior levels of government.

As for rentals, Vancity has developed a financial package to help folks who want to build laneway housing. This is an in-fill process where the new building and the existing building must remain as an undivided property. So one or the other or both are available for rental. This will add, but only modestly, to the stock of rental housing. We could also develop a loan program to encourage the upgrading of secondary suites. This would have the benefit of increasing housing options for renters and also add to the diversity of populations in most neighborhoods.

Transportation

1. What can Vancity do to provide incentives to its members to use alternatives to private vehicles in the same way it has facilitated alternative transportation programs for its 2,400 staff?

2. How can Vancity use financial products or services to support the widespread adoption of alternatives to private vehicle use in Vancouver?

Vancity has been a leader in providing incentives to people to use alternatives to private vehicles and not only for its own staff. For three years they sponsored the UPass program with TransLink for UBC and SFU students. Bus ridership exploded.

The program proved so success it was extended another two years. I would encourage that to continue and spread to other post secondary institutions.

In one of Vancity's million dollar grants they help fund an environmental initiative; a greenway including cycle paths that lead right into the heart of Chinatown, Gastown and the Downtown Eastside. Vancity should seek out other opportunities to support this type of development.

Vancity funded the creation of the Car Coop, a successful project that will benefit in growth from more densely populated neighborhoods where car ownership becomes less practical. This program should be continued and expanded.

Citizen Engagement and Involvement

1. What could Vancity do to include more citizen engagement in its decision-making processes?

2. How can local branches engage citizens more directly in Vancouver's 23 neighbourhoods?

The fundamental decision-making process in any democratic organization is the election of the leadership; in this case, the Board of Directors. And while Vancity has a higher voter turn out than other credit unions, only 5 to 8 percent of the 410,000 members vote; this in spite of the fact that they can conveniently vote by mail, an option chosen by more than 82 percent.

It is little wonder. There is no debate of any issues in this campaign. And there is no way of knowing how board members performed nor whether they kept the promises they made when they were first elected. In fact, members receive their ballots at the same time they find out who is running for the Board.

In all, it is a process that guarantees two results: a low voter turnout and a high likelihood that incumbents will be returned based largely on name recognition.

Vancity has taken some steps to improve engagement by asking candidates to answer a series of question which are generated internally. But these answers are not posted on the credit union website until long after ballots are delivered into members' hands. I would post these answers before ballots are delivered. I would also ask members to submit questions regarding their concerns to provide the basis for those that are put forward to candidates.
I would recommend a committee made up of board members and members at large to review the election process and propose changes to make elections more transparent and more engaging.

Now for engaging members at the branch level: The single piece that makes Vancity unique as a financial institution is its commitment to building community. I would raise the profile of grants given at the branch level. About 35 percent of the granting budget is distributed here. I would add to that the $135,000 now divided among directors to distribute as discretionary grants. I would encourage member participation in the granting process.

Then I would recommend Vancity tell the story in each branch of the great things this funding policy achieves - how we use our collective wealth to build community right in our own neighborhoods -- by using, among other things, the TV screens that are behind the tellers.

Other

1. What else would you like to tell Think City supporters about your candidacy?

If elected I will be the only on the board member with formal training as an accountant. I am running with my Action colleagues Heather Tremain and Virginia Weiler. We are committed to keep Vancity progressive, to making decisions in a collaborative way and to treating fellow board members and staff with respect. Check out our website.