yy Shis thsue: (¥ Shoreline Cleanup grows in more ways than one (Y Douglas explores thyroid disease in cats (Y Will Uber return to Vancouver? And more! Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Angela Espinoza, News Editor Mnews@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca Vancouver approves $1-billion capital plan » Voters will decide spending on plan spanning 2015-18 Angela Espinoza News Editor Minews @theotherpress.ca QO: October 1, the City of Vancouver approved a billion-dollar capital plan spanning the next four years. Part of the 2015-18 initiative is to fund various services throughout Vancouver, including but not limited to affordable housing, childcare, and utilities. The plan seeks to cover costs on services that can respectively be deemed necessary for the city to continue being both innovative and operational. Nine points are outlined in the capital plan listing services and their costs; keeping with the above, $125-million is reserved for affordable housing, $30-million for childcare, and $325-million—the largest amount—will be available for utilities. Each of the service outlines note ambitious plans for how funding will be spent. Regarding affordable housing, the $125-million will be : contributed to an overall fund : of $560-million, with which : the city hopes to create an : additional 2,550 housing units : by 2018. The increase in funding : : is related to a “Vancouver : Housing and Homeless : Strategy” revealed in 200 : that lays out plans spanning : into 2021 in an attempt to : keep Vancouver’s vulnerable : residents and numerous : homeless sheltered. : The childcare plan involves : : 1,000 additional spaces : including daycare, preschool, and before- and after-school : care for children ranging from : newborns to 12-year-olds. : Part of the childcare plan : is to increase childrearing : opportunities and activities : to continue “Attracting and : Retaining Human Talent,” : another 2ou-dated initiative. In response to the : $30-million childcare fund, : Vancouver’s chair of finance and : : services committee Raymond : Louie told the Globe and Mail, : “This is probably the single : largest childcare allotment bya : : municipality ever in Canada. “We already know the : waitlists already exist and we're : trying to help our citizens stay : in our city.” As for utilities, the large : $325-million sum is necessary : in order to maintain the city’s : various energy sources and : plumbing, as well as to upgrade : each facility. One of the goals : for the utilities fund is to bring =: more water into the city while ig: also reducing environmental : hazards. Much of the overall funding : is dependent on numerous : sources of money, including : money from property taxes : and donations from various f=: organizations involved with aa: the city. Additionally, money is : borrowed from the city’s capital 5: reserves; money paid back by 5: the city overtime inevitably : reduces high rates of debt. : However, voters will decide how : much money is to be borrowed : by the city regarding the capital : funding plans in a November : 15 plebiscite. The vote will : determine whether or not the : City of Vancouver will need : to locate additional funding : elsewhere or if the proposed : amount is appropriate for : : residents. : demand is significant. Very long : CRTC sours relationship with Netflix, Google » ‘Let’s Talk TV’ hearings end poorly amidst hope for change Angela Espinoza News Editor Minews @theotherpress.ca he Canadian Radio- television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ended talks with Netflix and Google last week by striking their discussions from the record. Amongst other disagreements, Netflix and Google refused to the CRTC. This year has seen the CRTC attempt to drastically by introducing and inviting new ideas. A two-week-long “Let’s Talk TV” event was held throughout September, where numerous organizations and as Peale we ae Zl >| . : : companies including Bell, reveal consumer information to : Ro gers, an d, again, Google : and Netflix were invited by the : CRTC to offer ideas as to how : Canadian television services change television across Canada should develop. One potential idea was a “pick-and-pay” model in which :; consumers would be allowed : to pay for the channels they : want to watch, as opposed : to investing in bundles or : packages. This model has : received a mixed response, with : many appreciating the option : of choice, but others concerned : over how the model would : affect costs and the lifespans : of certain channels. Canadian : television in particular has : along history of struggles, : with CBC revealing during the : hearings that its support via : advertisements could no longer : sustain the company. The Globe and Mail reports : that during the hearing, : former CBC executive producer : Christopher Waddell stated, : “It’s a nice concept to say, ‘yes, : it should be free, and yes, stuff : was free for a long time, too, : but I think we're in a different : world [today] ” In addition to the pick- : and-pay model, a heavier focus : on digital viewing was one of : the CRTC’s focusses for the : conference—which is where : Netflix and Google came into : the picture. The CRTC initially invited : the two American companies : to propose possible options for : Canadian television, as well : as to provide data regarding : Canadian usage of the two : Internet-supported services. : According to associated press, : neither company felt that : its information, if provided : to the CRTC, would be kept : confidential, but assured : the CRTC that Canadian : programming was thriving : online through their services. With no data-supported : evidence provided at the : hearings, secretary general : for the CRTC John Traversy : responded ina letter to Netflix : global public policy director : Corie Wright, “The Commission : views such actions as a direct : attempt to undermine its ability : to serve Canadians, as well as : impair the procedural fairness : owed to all participants.” As for Google, CBC reports that the company felt it : represented itself and its points : fairly at the hearings. One : Google spokesperson stated, : “We stand by the submissions : we made in this process and : believe we made a positive : contribution to the discussion.” The CRTC has stood by its decision, and will continue : examining other routes : regarding the near future of : Canadian television.