One of the more interesting sub-debates is whether creating more density is going to make things affordable. Opponents point out that Vancouver real-estate prices have skyrocketed even while it has been adding phenomenal density to the city. Jeannette Jones from the east side pointed out that townhouses in her neighbourhood are now selling for $500-600,000.
Mortenson also provided an interesting stat. He noted that downtown Vancouver has only five per cent of the city’s total land, but houses 10 per cent of the population. The next ring of old streetcar suburbs (Mount Pleasant/Kits/Commercial Drive/etc) have 10 per cent of the land and house 15 per cent of the population. That means the other 75 per cent of the population is spread out over the remaining 85 per cent of the land.
