[PostFactum]

That's marasm

[Regina]

Much went into road infrastructure as well which is always important. It's also the first time I've seen the total being in the billions as well. I didn't think it was that much. Plus the good people of Vancouver and Whistler got to hose the athletes and tourists for every last dollar.

[bootlegga]

Brenda Brenda:

Oh, I am sure that it was good for Vancouver, short term. Now doubt. But BC is bigger than the Greater Vancouver Area. There are more area's that need attention than just that one... Jus' sayin'...

Well, not much more than the Vancouver area, which represents more than half of the province's population.

Seriously though, the upgrades in infrastructure benefited more than just Vancouver. They twinned the highway to Whistler, which would have been done eventually, but was long overdue IMHO. As well, I'd bet a lot (if not most) of the construction materials used in building the facilities and infrastructure came from all over BC, not just Vancouver, so that's another direct benefit to the province.

In the long run though, it positions Vancouver (even better than it already was) to be a world famous city. That's worth a helluva lot, and it attracts both foreien investment and tourist dollars, all of which won't just land in Vancouver, but all over the province, as people return and going skiing in Whistler, fishing in the north or whale watching off Vancouver Island, or investment in industry.

I know you live a ways off, but Vancouver, like it or not, is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) economic driver in the province. Growth in Vancouver translates into better times for all BCers, not just Vancouverites.

[Brenda]

I have had a problem getting groceries because we were not accessible(trucks could not get out of the mainland...), and just an example, there is a lot of road reconstruction to do here. There is just no money anymore. Roads that had to be repaved 5 years ago are still not done, and potholes half a meter wide are not that uncommon. You only can repair a road for so long. I guess we have to stretch it AGAIN. Things like that piss me off, sorry.

[KorbenDeck]

Worth it. Everyone once and a while Canada needs an event that brings Canadians together and make us feel like a country, the 2010 games did just that.

[andyt]

Regina Regina:

Much went into road infrastructure as well which is always important. It's also the first time I've seen the total being in the billions as well. I didn't think it was that much. Plus the good people of Vancouver and Whistler got to hose the athletes and tourists for every last dollar.

We built improved a highway to a ski resort that's in bankruptcy. We built a rapid transit line, not where it was needed most, the eastern corridor, but to the airport so we could ferry tourists for 2 weeks. We added to our convention center, when convention business in North America is declining. The cost for that was 2x the original estimate. We built facilities that will not be used after the Olympics. We spend 1 billion on security. Vancouver city had to take over a billion dollar housing development (used to give the athletes the nicest accommodations they'd ever seen) and may wind up taking a bath on it.

All that money could have been spent on things we really need. Meanwhile the govt is raiding ICBC and BC Hydro for a billion bucks so they can pretend they didn't raise taxes. Transit fares are going up again, impacting the lowest earners who can't afford to live in Vancouver but have to travel there every day for work. The govt is brining in the harmonized GST/PST, even tho it will cost them 130 mil in revenues because they get an upfront 1.7 bil kickback from the feds, while the consumer will get it up that ass in higher consumption taxes.

All that so people could yell go Canada for two weeks. As they wake up from the dream, my guess is they're going to be pissed.

As for being known all over the world, who wants it? We already are overflowing with immigrants. Rich foreigners are buying up our real estate and making housing prices the least affordable in the world. We already get plenty of tourist business. As our dollar rises we've been getting way less Americans, and even less as Americans are required to have passports to get back into their country. A couple of weeks of feel good rah rah ain't going to get those people to come, and as their economy keeps sagging they won't have the money even if they wanted to.

So - colossal waste of money.

[bootlegga]

andyt andyt:

We built improved a highway to a ski resort that's in bankruptcy.

It's still world famous and will continue to attract tourists no matter who runs it.

andyt andyt:

We built a rapid transit line, not where it was needed most, the eastern corridor, but to the airport so we could ferry tourists for 2 weeks.

Really? Vancouver only gets tourists for 2 weeks each year? Who knew?

I guess when I visited last summer I was a temporary resident...

andyt andyt:

We added to our convention center, when convention business in North America is declining. The cost for that was 2x the original estimate.

Perhaps a better convention centre will turn things around for Vancouver in that regard.

andyt andyt:

We built facilities that will not be used after the Olympics.

Really? My guess is that many pf the facilities will replace Calgary's Olympic facilities as the home for most of our Winter Athletes.

andyt andyt:

We spend 1 billion on security.

Better that than have a dozen athletes murdered by terrorists.

andyt andyt:

Vancouver city had to take over a billion dollar housing development (used to give the athletes the nicest accommodations they'd ever seen) and may wind up taking a bath on it.

You mean False Creek? Apparently Vancouver is thinking of turning it into a mix-market (including subsidized housing) instead of all luxury condos like originally planned.

$1:

Since the government became so invested in the project, some are using the opportunity to pressure officials to turn the village into mix-market rate and subsidized housing. There had been plans to offer at least 250 affordable housing units following the Games.

It sounds to me that you wouldn't have been happy no matter what the government did, host the Olympics or not.

[poquas]

Until we hear what the costs actually were, we can’t be sure. My guess is probably not worth it based on some of the numbers that have been leaked. In BC we’re seeing cutbacks in education, medical coverage, and generally the things that in comparison aren’t going to make the Olympics as fond a memory as it is now. The tourism dollars all came in one huge bump (with some horribly inflated prices) and not nearly as widespread in the business community as expected.

I’m concerned we may be saddled with a huge tax bill for a very long time.

[andyt]

bootlegga bootlegga:

andyt andyt:

We built improved a highway to a ski resort that's in bankruptcy.

It's still world famous and will continue to attract tourists no matter who runs it. Sure - but why subsidise it with highway construction when the money could give a better economic return elsewhere.

andyt andyt:

We built a rapid transit line, not where it was needed most, the eastern corridor, but to the airport so we could ferry tourists for 2 weeks.

Really? Vancouver only gets tourists for 2 weeks each year? Who knew? Idiot, read what I wrote again. The Evergreen line that would transport people from the high growth areas is much more urgently needed and has been consistently delayed. The mayors were tricked into voting for the Canada line by being, once again, promised the Evergreen line. Still ain't happening, tho once again, this years budget promises it will be built, but doesn't account for the 400 million shortfall that's in the way.

I guess when I visited last summer I was a temporary resident...

andyt andyt:

We added to our convention center, when convention business in North America is declining. The cost for that was 2x the original estimate.

Perhaps a better convention centre will turn things around for Vancouver in that regard. How will a better convention center stimulate North American (read US) convention business hit hard by the recession and the increased hassles at the border? Americans find it easier to just do their conventions at home, and it's not like they don't have some nice places to go at home.

andyt andyt:

We built facilities that will not be used after the Olympics.

Really? My guess is that many pf the facilities will replace Calgary's Olympic facilities as the home for most of our Winter Athletes. I don't care about a few elite athletes having somewhere else to train. Callaghan Valley, for instance will be totally shut down. The Richmond Oval will convert into a Community center, which is a good idea - but it seems a little out of the way.

andyt andyt:

We spend 1 billion on security.

Better that than have a dozen athletes murdered by terrorists. Better yet, don't hold the Olympics, put that billion into building low income housing and maybe putting more cops on the street day to day.

andyt andyt:

Vancouver city had to take over a billion dollar housing development (used to give the athletes the nicest accommodations they'd ever seen) and may wind up taking a bath on it.

You mean False Creek? Apparently Vancouver is thinking of turning it into a mix-market (including subsidized housing) instead of all luxury condos like originally planned.

$1:

Since the government became so invested in the project, some are using the opportunity to pressure officials to turn the village into mix-market rate and subsidized housing. There had been plans to offer at least 250 affordable housing units following the Games.

It sounds to me that you wouldn't have been happy no matter what the government did, host the Olympics or not.
You're not from around here, are you? Social housing and community venues were always supposed to be a big part of the village, and have been consistently cut back. Many are saying we can't afford any social housing at the site now. I agree with that - why put social housing in one of the most expensive areas of the city - but where's the money to build it in lower cost neighborhoods now we've blown our wad on 2 weeks of Eh! O'Canada Go?
And no, I'm not happy how the Liberals have used the boom times to enrich their developer buddies while social inequality has grown and more and more people can't afford to live in Vancouver. The usual conservative (please don't confuse the provincial Liberals with the Federal party, in BC the Liberals are the conservatives) crap - cut taxes but keep spending so there's no money for emergencies, and spend on the luxury stuff instead of the basics that people really need.

[Brenda]

Oh, just for your information, SOCIAL HOUSING DOES NOT EXIST IN MY AREA!!!

[andyt]

Brenda Brenda:

Oh, just for your information, SOCIAL HOUSING DOES NOT EXIST IN MY AREA!!!

No, but then it doesn't have the least affordable housing costs in the world, either. But sure, I think the Feds should get back in the social housing game, and if your area has a demonstrated need for it, it should get it's fair share. Do you have a lot of homeless people?

[ShepherdsDog]

Brenda Brenda:

Oh, just for your information, SOCIAL HOUSING DOES NOT EXIST IN MY AREA!!!

In the village my wife went to school in, with a population of about 400, they have social housing.

[Brenda]

2 bedroom appt starting at $650, 3 bedroom house starting at $1000, with the average wage around $13/hr, I'd say its pretty expensive.

[Brenda]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Brenda Brenda:

Oh, just for your information, SOCIAL HOUSING DOES NOT EXIST IN MY AREA!!!

In the village my wife went to school in, with a population of about 400, they have social housing.

We don't. Nearest social housing project is 45 minute drive. area of 10,000 people has none. Understand why I am bitching? There is a HUGE drug problem here, landlords are shack-slums (is that the right word?)...

[ShepherdsDog]

Buying is a hell of a lot cheaper, if it's possible. The mortgage payments are usually alot lower than rental payments.