www.theasianstar.com VOL 23 - ISSUE 10
Thanks to Trudeau, Metro Vancouver gas price rises to $2.12 in five-cent jump overnight
Gas prices have continued to rise in the Metro Vancouver area, much to the chagrin of drivers. Drivers woke up Thursday morning to see gas jumped up five cents overnight, with prices at most gas stations hovering between $2.04 and $2.12 a litre. Read more on Page 2...
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Vancouver is in a ‘full-blown crisis’ for housing affordability A new report from the Royal Bank of Canada is painting a bleak picture of just how unaffordable and unattainable buying a home in Vancouver is. The report, which looks at housing trends across the country, found that it has never been as expensive to own a home anytime, anywhere in Canada as it was in Vancouver in the last quarter of 2023. The report stated that Vancouver is in a “full-blown crisis.” “At a staggering 106.4 per cent, the share of a median income needed to cover ownership costs means that only a select few highincome earners can afford to buy—or that considerable wealth must be amassed (or received) to put down towards a purchase,” the report states. “This significantly narrows the potential pool of buyers in the market,
From April 1, Canadian MPs will earn world’s second-highest salary for elected officials
keeping activity soft and prices flat recently. We see little change from this in the months ahead.” A one-bedroom open-plan apartment in Yaletown is currently listed for sale at just under $600,000. “It is becoming more and more difficult with first-time homebuyers as prices rise here in Vancouver,” realtor Mike Stewart told. With the minimum five per cent down, a mortgage and strata fees the Yaletown apartment used as an example would cost someone just under $4,000 a month to own. “I’m seeing personally a lot of parents helping out with the downpayment to meet that 20 per cent threshold so that the payments are a little bit more palatable, a little more affordable for, you know, the first-time homebuyers,” mortgage broker Sherlock Yam said.
Hindu temple donation box stolen, Surrey RCMP looking for suspects
www.gabaautodetaling.com
On the same day Canadians will see an increase in the federal carbon tax, MPs will also see a little extra on their pay stubs. And with that April Fool’s Day pay increase, Canadian parliamentarians will become the second-best paid elected officials in the world after Americans. According to numbers provided to National Post by the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Canadian members of Parliament will get their customary pay raise on April 1 — resulting in increases of anywhere between $8,500 and $17,000 this year. Right now, members of Parliament earn a base salary of $194,600 per year — but that’s due to rise to $203,100 on April 1. Read more on Page 9...
Mounties in Surrey are looking for the public’s help to identify two suspects who they believe stole a donation box from a Mandir in that city. The Surrey RCMP says on March 12, it received reports of a breakand-enter at the Hindu temple on 123 Street near 80 Avenue. Read more on Page 4...