Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Mercedes Deutscher, News Editor Minews@theotherpress.ca (¥ What to expect from Canada’s next Parliament (Y Fighting for citizenship (¥ United Way investing in Coquitlam and Surrey families And more! City of New Westminster unveils new community plan » Housing a top priority for growing population Mercedes Deutscher News Editor Mi news@theotherpress.ca he City of New Westminster is working on revealing a new community plan called OUR CITY 2041, which will outline a set of goals slated to be achieved by 2041. The plan is being developed through the use of staff and public input, research, and the Integrated Community Sustainability Planning document, which acts to guide the city towards sustainable plans, policies, and projects. OUR CITY 2041 will affect many aspects of life in New Westminster, including housing, as the city is plotting how land within the city will be developed as the population of the city grows to an estimated population of 104,000. Although these land use plans involve commercial and industrial development, a majority of the focus will go towards developing residential areas. According to the New Westminster Record, the growing : : population will require 16,500 : new houses to be built by 2041, : as well as 700,000 square feet : of commercial property. Much : of the expected development : will be in close proximity : to major transit stations. The new developments in : residences will see the creation : of more townhouses and : duplexes, which currently only : house five per cent of the New : Westminster population. The : rest of the population currently : reside either in apartments, : which account for 67 per cent : of residents, or single family : homes, which account for 28 per cent of residents. New Westminster : is aiming to create more : affordable housing to : encourage younger people to stay in the city by creating : a wide range of residences : that will fit with different : demographics and incomes. The city will release its : list of neighbourhood land- : use scenarios during a public : workshop on November 7, which : will be taking place at the Anvil Centre from g a.m. to 3 p.m. New Westminster City : Counsellor Patrick Johnstone : expressed excitement for the : next step in the developing : plan when he told the New : Westminster Record: “This is : not the end of the conversation. : This is the beginning of ; the conversation.” The community plan : started being developed in : the summer of 2014, and is : currently in step four of its : five planning steps. Previous : steps involved launching the : planning process, background : research, and deciding what : goals needed to be achieved. : Step four involves drafting new : policies and land-use scenarios. : This step is expected to continue : over until winter 2016. Aside from housing, : OUR CITY 2041 is also : going to explore further : development with public : parks, transportation : infrastructure, public utilities, : employment, environmental : initiatives, food, health, and : energy. In addition, the city is planning on increasing : investment in more social : sects, such as the arts, culture, : community, and heritage. Photo by Charles Chen Uber in Vancouver? » Proposed taxi reforms might open the gates to the popular transportation company Aaron Guillen Staff Reoorter Wwe you have a late night out and don’t have your car, how do you plan on getting home? Most people would hop on transit, turn to a friend, or catch a taxi cab. In the hustling and bustling city of Vancouver, there is a demand for taxis. As a global destination, it can be surprisingly hard to find one too early in the morning or late at night if'a person doesn’t live in the densely populated, urban areas. A proposed taxi reform might make it easier for transportation services, like Uber, a booming company in many metropolitan areas. “I think the outcome is that we are close. We want to move : forward on what the industry : could do,” said Andrea Toma, : chief licence inspector for the : City of Vancouver, to CBC. There’s no denying that : Uber would “energize the : local economy, help make : streets safer from drunk and : distracted driving, and foster a : more connected, less congested} > environment,” but is it worth the ! : risk? : Recently, Uber has been : breaking taxi bylaws in Toronto, : and city officials aren't content. : Having voted on new terms in : the taxi and limousine laws, : Toronto has closed the loophole, : thus attempting to bring Uber : services to a halt. “Until regulation is : amended and/or enacted by : council to permit other than the : currently licenced taxicabs and rE : limousines, the UberX service : will continue to be in non- : compliance with city bylaws,” : said Tracey Cook, a Toronto : executive director of municipal : licencing and standards, to the : Toronto Sun. Looking back to Vancouver, : the main concerns include : public safety and the fate of the : taxi industry. The monopoly on Vancouver customers could Image via gazettereview.com : be placed in jeopardy should : services like Uber merge into : the streets. Among the likes of : Yellow Cab, North Shore Taxi, : MacLure’s Cabs Vancouver, and : Black Top & Checker Cabs, the : introduction of a new service : could slow down competitors’ : success. It is evident that more : discussion needs to take place : before any agreements are made. “There needs to be better : alignment between the city : and provincial regulators on > what we see from ride-share. : We have been working with : the [Transportation] Ministry : themselves, that’s why we are : proposing to council to allow for : that continuation of dialogue,” : said Toma. Expect to hear more about : these regulations in two to three : months.