Co-op News for February 13, 2018

News

B.C.’s Airbnb go to affordable housing plans

The B.C. government says it will soon profit from the short-term rental market after reaching an agreement with AirBnB on the collection of taxes. The money will be used to fund housing and tourism initiatives. Finance Minister Carole James touted the deal with AirBnB as the first of its kind in Canada, saying it acknowledges short-term rentals are part of B.C.’s economy. The estimated $16 million the province will get annually from a sales tax will be used to improve housing affordability.

Huffpost: B.C.-Airbnb Deal To See Taxes Used For Province’s Affordable Housing Plans

Vancouver Tenants Union expands to fight crisis

The Vancouver Tenants Union was formed last spring in response to a growing number of renters who say they fear eviction or being priced out of their homes and neighbourhoods. The group’s membership has grown to nearly 1,000 people across the city—and it has expanded city-wide. The group initially formed to support low-income renters in rundown single-room accommodations in the city’s Downtown Eastside, but the need for a citywide union became apparent as more people contacted them outside the area looking for help

Huffpost: Vancouver Tenants Union Expands Citywide To Fight ‘Out Of Control’ Crisis

Newfoundland Co-Op Closing After 105 Years

And it’s a sad time for the community of St. Anthony, in the northern reaches of Newfoundland. After operating for more than a century, the Grenfell Memorial Co-op in St. Anthony will soon close its doors for good. The grocery store has served the community on the tip of the Northern Peninsula since 1908, but in recent years the oldest consumer co-op in Newfoundland and Labrador has been struggling to stay afloat.   The closure will put 17 people out of work — and that is the most upsetting part for John Budgell, president of the co-op’s board of directors.

CBC: After 105 years, St. Anthony’s Grenfell Co-op closing