Plans continue to move forward for Sapperton Green development » Coquitlam council concerned about traffic repercussions in the area Lauren Kelly Assistant Editor Massistant@theotherpress.ca A upcoming development in New Westminster will be further modernizing the up- and-coming Sapperton district. Compared to Brooklyn by residents, Sapperton has become known as a bustling area for young people, with the Brewery District now housing small cafés and exercise studios. Now, plans are moving forward to begin developing Sapperton Green, a mixed-use space centred on Braid Station. Developed by Bentall Kennedy and owned by BC Management Investment Corporation, Sapperton Green is set to be built on a 38-acre lot to the west of Braid Station. It will be bordered by the Brunette River to the North, Hume Park to the West and Braid Street to the to warehouses and unused land. Currently, the updated plan allots 3.4 million square feet for residential spaces, 130,000 square feet of retail space, and between 500,000 to 1 million square feet of office space. This will be housed within multiple 3-35 storey buildings. The residential spaces : include 3,700 homes, expected : to house 7,500 residents. : : Combining the natural aspects of : : the park and riverinto the plan, =: : Sapperton Green will include a : nature corridor down its centre : that ends at Hume Park. However, Coquitlam : councillors and staff are not : happy with the development. : There are well-known : traffic issues at the Brunette : interchange, where cars exit : off the freeway at the poorly : planned and often congested : route to Braid Station and the : Royal Columbian Hospital. : The Coquitlam councillors are : concerned that, without first : fixing the problems in that area, : developing Sapperton Green will : add to the congestion and make : the trip even more difficult for : ambulances and cars travelling to : the Royal Columbian Hospital, : : which should have easy access for} : residents of the area. South. The area is currently home : “I want us to work together : as communities and I think we : should extend the olive branch — : and try one more time to ask New } : West to please consult properly : with its neighbours about the : connections that we have to have : between our two communities to : make it work,’ Coquitlam Mayor . & i : Richard Stewart told Tri-Cities : Now. Further development for the Royal Columbian Hospital will be : : beginning later this year as well, : making access to the largest and : of the update will include a 75- bed mental health and substance : abuse facility, and a geriatric : psychiatry unit, as well as other best equipped hospital in the area : even more important. Phase One : Braid Street | Photo via www.newwestnewsleader.com infrastructure developments. New Westminster will : begin the official community : plan amendment process for : Sapperton Green on October 5. Minimum wage increases » How it really affects Vancouver workers Davie Wong Columnist t long last, the minimum wage in BC has been increased. Earlier in the year, Job Minister Shirley Bond promised a pay raise to those working on minimum wage. She announced that, starting September 15, the minimum wage in BC is to be $10.45, an increase of two per cent or 20 cents. She also promised to increase the rate of minimum wage every year to better compensate for the rate of inflation and cost of living. But is it enough? Irene Lanzinger, leader of the BC Federation of Labour, said in an interview with the Globe and Mail that the 20 cents increase was a “pathetic response.” She is leading a campaign that wishes to see the minimum wage raised to $15 an hour. The current plan would see BC meet that goal in 2034. The federation is relying on pressure from the growing number of frustrated people in the Lower Mainland as : the cost of living within the : region continues to climb. At : the moment, according to an : accumulation of data obtained : from the Mercer Cost of Living : 2015 survey, Vancouver is the : most expensive city in Canada : to live in. Vancouver also had, : until recently, the third lowest : minimum wage in Canada. : However, as other low minimum : wage provinces also raised theirs, : BC still remains in this position. When asked about this : situation earlier in the year, : Premier Christy Clark saidthat : she would not raise the minimum } : wage rate to the requested $15 an : hour rate as “the economy [was] : too fragile for the shock of the : $15.” She also said that having a : gradual increase over time was : better for small and medium size : businesses because it gave them : the proper time to adjust rather : than a straight jump. Evidence : at this time also supports Clark’s : claim. Not too long after the : Premier’s announcement, : Seattle put into effect their : new minimum wage rate. The : minimum wage through out the : city was set to be gradually raised : to $15 dollars. Companies then : have until 2017 to phase into the : new $15 dollar an hour minimum : wage. The previous minimum : wage was set at $9.47. According : tothe American Enterprise : Institute, over 1300 restaurant : employees have lost their jobs : due to the raise in minimum : wage. Restaurants have also : considered raising prices to better : : account for the higher minimum : wage. Some restaurants have even : started changing tipping policies : to better accommodate the new : wage line. Many have eliminated : tipping as a whole and instituted : a 20 per cent service fee instead, : making meals more expensive : asawhole. On top of that, since : the rise in minimum wage, many : companies have been cutting job employment benefits to better DOOR e ARR ARN HM Mectetrettes Coe e eee ce eee a Oo 3 2 a 4 a LS S wo @ LS 5 9° 2 ° SG A, compensate. What may have been company paid parking or paid lunches have been completely cut to make up for the raise. This precedent means that Vancouverites could expect some of the same problems if a $15 dollar minimum wage spike does occur. In the meantime, : Vancouverites should not expect : any major changes any time soon.