An article in the Saanich News reports the district is setting a minimum size for new apartments.
How wonderful of Saanich council to set a gracious minimum size of 355 square feet on new apartments, just big enough for me to swing a cat and maybe even actually live in.
After 60% of my income is confiscated each month on rent, maybe there's enough left over to put a chair and desk in my lovely shoebox. The poor developers will now have to cram 300 instead of 400 overpriced units into the same plot of land with broken hearts (although they still get to apply for variances, phew!). As stated, no minimum size presents a risk of lost revenue to the municipality. I applaud the sensibility on display here, properly relegating the ‘stability and long-term livability’ as transient afterthoughts.
In my current apartment hunt, I have seen 500 square feet and below, and it boggles my mind as to how humans are expected to undertake the necessities of life in a space where one goes from front door to kitchen to bathroom to bed in 10 strides. Is this an elaborate way to get people to spend less time indoors? I certainly don’t see myself wanting to spend much time in a prison cell adjacent. How about cooking? Not viable. So more restaurant meals, meaning even less disposable income.
I would suggest that the councillors try living in, say, 400 square feet to gain some valuable insight on the livability of these micro units. We don’t have to craft palaces, but we do need to recognize that with people paying $4 per square foot, they deserve far more.
Justin Underhay
Saanich
