Top minds to tackle affordability problems in Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – How to make Vancouver more affordable?

That’s the tough question being tackled tonight at RED Talks, a play on the popular TED Talks, bringing together thought leaders and influencers to speak about issues and spark ideas.

The annual event — which will be in front of a full house at the Vancouver Playhouse — has a real estate and development focus, and this year’s theme is “challenging consensus.”

“It’s a curated conversation about how real estate prices are, in many respects, leaving behind earnings of an entire generation of talented, hardworking, well educated young folks,” says Paul Kershaw with Generation Squeeze, one of tonight’s speakers.

“It’s trying to shine a light on what we might be able to do in order to move forward and make this city, province and country continue to work for and house all generations.”

Kershaw will be taking the stage with a host of other speakers from across North America, focusing on issues from design to the economy to activism.

“You’re going to hear about how people are mobilizing in San Francisco from the person who established BARF (Bay Area Renters Federation) and you’re going to hear the guy who is the head of Freakonomics talk about how we need leaders to not necessarily to seek consensus but to actually lead,” Kershaw tells NEWS 1130.

“That often is important when you need to make courageous policy decisions. If you’re waiting for consensus you are likely to wait too long.”

A representative from Blue Zones will also be speaking at tonight’s RED Talks.

“Blue Zone cities are where people are especially likely to live to 100 years old. You will hear about the secrets of their success and how we can bring some of those secrets to Metro Vancouver,” he adds.

Kershaw will be talking about Generation Squeeze’s Code Red campaign.

“Which is showcasing just how much Metro Vancouver is at the epicentre of a problem in this country and continent where home prices are leaving young people behind. We need to make bold decisions and build the critical mass that can give politicians the political cover they require to make bold policy adaptations in support of both younger generations and the aging population,” he explains.

Kershaw ssys his research finds BC is the worst performing economy in Canada for younger generations, primarily because earnings here have fallen more than any other province compared to a generation ago, while home prices have spiralled up more than any other part of the country.

“Where it took five years to save a 20 per cent downpayment on an average priced home in 1976, it now takes, across British Columbia, an average 19 years. That’s a massive deterioration in the standard of living for younger generations.”

Kershaw and his co-speakers hit the stage at 6:30 tonight at the Vancouver Playhouse in front of a sold out crowd.