Port Coquitlam councillor says high-cost homes spreading to suburbs

Municipal and provincial politicianshavefailed to confront Vancouver's high-priced housing market, according toa Port Coquitlampolitician who says out of reach, million dollarhomes have spread tosuburban communities.

Councillor Brad West sayshe wants politicians to address the high cost of Vancouver-area housing,but they're deliberately dodging the issue.

"They'd rather keep their heads in the sand and hopethatit just goes away." West told CBC News. "What I'm saying is that politicians need to stopBS-ingpeople.

"They're kind of trying to ignore the issue, pretending it doesn't exist."

• Vancouver home sells for more than $1M pver asklng price

West said he's speaking out becausea generation of young people are being squeezed out of the housing market.

Traditionally, he said, young families have moved to the suburbs where housing prices are lower. But even Vancouver'ssuburbs are becoming out of reach. Out of curiosity, West saidhe went to an open house in his mother's neighbourhood.

PoCo asking price tops $1M

The house was a modest, two-storey, 2,400 square foot home priced at $1.1 million.

"I think to myself 'Holy smokes, this is PoCo,'" West said.

"Generally,peoplehave come to PortCoquitlambecause it's a more affordable place for families," hesaid. "My own family, that's our story. My parents moved from NorthBurnabyto Port Coquitlam in the the 80s. And we have a great community.

"It's a middle class, working class community and Ithought, 'How is anyone in ourcommunityever going to be able to afford to live in a home listed at $1.1 million?

The realtor told West he expected the house would sell in a week, that he'd getmultiple offers and the sellerwould receive more thanthe asking price. He told West that the high price was fuelled by overseas demand.

Foreign ownership in the Vancouver housing market has become a contentious issue. A studyconducted last year that suggested that foreign buyers from China are fuelling price increases sparked cries of racism.

West, 30, said heownsa home, but others his own age aren't so lucky.

"I've been hearing from people my own age saying, 'How am I ever going to afford a home?'"

West said he'd like to see discussion onlegislative options to dampen the housing market, including imposingrestrictions on non-residential ownership and taxinghomes sold by non-residents.

In the last month, the provincial government has movedto address high housing prices.

Province to collect housing data

As part of the provincial budget last month,B.C. Finance Minister Mike de Jong announced plans to begincollecting data on foreign ownership in B.C.'s booming housing market.

Beginning this summer, the provincewill force individualsbuying property to disclose if they are citizens or permanent residents of Canada;if not, they will have to disclose their citizenship and country of residence.The rules will also apply to individualtransferees anddirectors of corporations involved in the purchase of property.

West said he hopes his comments spur more politicians to speak out.

"I think the solution isfirst to start talking about it," he said. "We haven't been able to have an honest discussion about it because a lot of people are wary of it. I think a lot of politicians are scared to talk about it.

"They don't want to viewed aspoliticallyincorrect."