He says he doesn't blame developers for trying to turn a profit

Bruce Gilmour is strongly in favour of the proposed changes as he says his neighbourhood is in crisis

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A report that will go before Vancouver city council Tuesday contains new recommendations to get more rentals in the city quickly.

Among them, a proposal to streamline the application process for developers and eliminate public hearings for new rentals along major arteries.

Bruce Gilmour, President of the Dunbar Residents’ Association, is strongly in favour of the proposed changes as he says his neighbourhood is in crisis.

“It’s now turning into a ghost town. Stores are closing and the stores are closing because the pedestrian traffic is declining and there’s just a sense of disempowerment,” he says.

Gilmour adds he doesn’t blame developers for trying to turn a profit so it’s up to the city to push them toward providing more accessible rental housing.

“We’ve lived here for 30 years. We’ve raised a child. When I am starting to bump into people on the street who are saying they are ‘gutted’ by what’s happening, I’m not going to say it’s all the developers’ fault. I would say the fingers go back to the City of Vancouver,” he says, adding he’s saddened by the loss of a sense of community within Dunbar, due in large part to a lack of accessible housing.

Even though he supports the proposal, Gilmour says major steps should have been taken sooner.

“People are being gutted and people are wanting to move. The neighbourhood values the sense of engagement and connection is being ripped apart,” he explains.

Gilmour says he believes regardless of the neighbourhood, most people are open to rezoning proposals.

“We are all getting to a place where we understand we need more places for people to live. We are not going to be NIMBY here. We recognize that change is on its way,” he says.