Vaughn Palmer: Eby shows he’s willing to legislate in favour of controversial project in own backyard

VICTORIA — A stalled social housing project on Vancouver’s westside is now the focus of Premier David Eby’s crusade to overcome NIMBY opposition to affordable development.

“The development process is so slow,” Eby complained to me during an interview earlier this month, then cited “one building we’ve been trying to build” near Broadway and Arbutus streets.

The 13-storey, 129 unit project would be built on a vacant lot near the Arbutus Station on the new Broadway subway line.

“This is housing that everyone agrees is needed,” said Eby.

Yet the Arbutus project has run into lengthy, frustrating opposition.