SUBMITTED BY SALT SPRING FORUM
Far more Canadians live in cities rather than rural areas today. Major centres continue to grow rapidly, leading society forward and encountering many challenges.
Vancouver, for example, is one of the “greenest” cities in the world and on track to be 100 per cent reliant on renewable energy by 2050.
At the same time Vancouver has one of the lowest vacancy rates and is one of the most expensive places to live in Canada, with the cost of an average one-bedroom apartment topping $2,000 per month. The city has been hit hard by the homelessness and now the opioid crises.
Of course, these crises are not confined to big cities. Small communities like Salt Spring face similar challenges.
On Thursday, Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at ArtSpring, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson joins the Salt Spring Forum for a wide-ranging discussion about the city he leads, the challenges and opportunities facing big cities, and much more.
What is the role of big city governments in addressing health, housing and other issues that are the constitutionally-assigned responsibilities of provincial and federal governments? What can we learn from proposed solutions? Do big cities hold the key to a sustainable future?
Robertson has been mayor of Vancouver since 2008. Prior to running for that position, he was a Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly. Before that, he co-founded Happy Planet, a socially responsible company that produces organic juices and promotes health and nutrition.
This special summertime event will be moderated by Jennifer Breakspear, a part-time resident of Salt Spring Island who serves as the executive director of the Portland Hotel Society. The Portland Hotel Society works closely with the City of Vancouver, providing supportive housing, harm reduction and health care services to thousands of people in the Downtown Eastside and beyond.
Tickets are available at ArtSpring.