inquiring | reporter DOCTORS called it a reduction in services. Health Minister Penny Priddy labeled last Friday’s closure of doctors’ offices across the province an unacceptable “strike” and accused doctors of walking away from a contract for services they have with the government. About 5,500 doctors, paid by Medical Service Plan (MSP) as opposed to salaried hospital doctors, shut their offices in an attempt to reduce a projected $70 million MSP overrun. They have already taken a 4% fee cut for the same reason. Meanwhile, rural doctors are becoming iucreasingly concerned about the long hours on call without compensation or, more importantly, relief. The health ministry will mect with doctors in five northern communities today in an attempt to resolve a dis- pute that has dragged on since Jan. 3). At present, further doctor office closures that will affect the North Shore are scheduled for March 18 and 31. NORTH SHORE DEMOGRAPHICS ON’T OTHER ee YES NO BROW ANSWER Horseshoe Bay 50% 39% 8% 3% Dundarave/Ambleside : British Properties Norgate/Pemberton Heights Capilano/Deibrook Highlands Lower Lonsdale 54% 31% John Ford North Vancouver Everybody has that right. I think the doctors have more thought for peo, °*’s health in the way they are acting than is being recognized. Kay Wright West Vancouver No, I don’t think rhey should. What if there was a medical emergency? Would they attend it? They should do something, that’s what Tricia Larson North Vancouver Yes. As long as emergency services Were available. Central and Upper Lonsdale Lynn Valley Blueridge/Deep Cove TOTAL wecsssscsssscsesssserersssnsserseenes 38% DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE INQUIRING REPORTER? 35% 45% 43% 43% 32% 32% 37% 18% they are there for. E-mail your comments or question ideas to: miller@nsnews.com NVC to improve rental housing conditions | Jolanda Waszkito Contributing Writer - NORTH Vancouver City would like to help renters who suffer at the idle hands of delin- quent landlords. City council considered Monday a bylaw. that would allow the city to make home repairs, such as fixing 3 leaking roof or a faulty furnace, on behalf of renters whose land- lords refuse tc-do the work. “The. focus of the bylaw is to deal with standards of main- tenarice of rental residences,” : said the city’s develonment ser- - Vices manager Francis “ Caouette. “It could be a situa- tion where either repairs aren't being carried out or services aren’t being provided at some reasonable level, like heat and _ hot water, or repairs like roof leaks which are not the tenant’s responsibility.” Coun. Barbara Sharp, whose suggestion it was to _ pursue the bylaw, said it was a “progressive” move. “We're ‘here to look after our. residents and to provide them with safe and comfort- able housing,” Sharp said. “There are people out there with walls that are crumbling and bathrooms that don’t work. This will make landlords a little more sesponsibic.” Coun. Barbara Perrault said the bylaw allows renters — who make up 60% of the city’s population — another way to find recourse on maintenance issues, — “There’s such a high per- centage of renters here — there has to be some kind of protection for them,” Perrault said. “It’s another avenue for the city to try to protect some of the taxpayers, and renters pay taxes indirectly.” Here’s a summary of what could happen under the bylaw if, for example, a tenant com- plained to the city about a leaky roof: ® che city may inspect the property, and/or contact the landlord to find out how he or she has dealt with, or is going :o deal, with the matter; «3 is repairs are not done with- in, a reasonable time, the city can fine the landlord, with fines ranging from $50 to $100 for each infraction; @ if the landlord: does not respond to the fine(s), the city can enter the rental residence and make the appropriate repairs; 8 the repair cost and adminis- tracive fee (city staff time) is charged to the landlord/owner’s residential tax; @ if the repair cost is not paid within three years, the city would seck redress through the courts. Other municipalities such as the District of North Vancouver, and the cities of Vancouver and New Westminster have adopted sim- ilar bylaws protecting renters. The city’s proposed bylaw is drafted. from 2 model bylaw prepared by the ministry of municipal affairs in co-opera- tion with B.C. municipalities. The only councillor who voted against the motion said the bylaw will cost taxpayers’ money. “The provincial govern- ment should supply qualified building inspectors to the Residency Tenancy Branch,” Coun. Stella Jo Dean said. “The city should stay out of the repair and service issues, which could become costly.” Dean said that according to Caouette’s report to council, the staffing needed to support the bylaw could be between one quarter of a building inspector’s time or, if demand grows, a full-time inspector may need to be hired at $110,000 a year — a figure that includes clerical assistance and on-the-job expenses, She added that the city stood to incur legal costs of $1,000 to $1,500 per case if cases went court. Caouette, the city manager who would be responsible tor enforcing the proposed brlaw, told council at the mecting that, “at this point, there’s no way of cleariv estimating what the cost will be.” Bur he has talked to the City of New Westminster, whose population and size is similar to North Vancouver City and whose council has adopted a similar Standards of Maintenance Bylaw. “They said they (New Westminster) spend about a quarter of 2 position in dealing with it,” Caouette said. “They have a faidy large rental housing stock, as well, « and they have been operating this type of system for quite « some time.” Coun. Darrell Mussatto said that the “city isn't going’}. ahead and repairing every building in the city.” £42 rs “We're: just going to be enforcing the bylaw,” he said. “This is for major deficiencies in buildings: — like heating - that doesn t work or leaky roofs — not if the grass hasn’t . heen cut for two weeks or the w rails | haven't been painted fora! year.” Caouette said cosmetic issues that don't relate to liv- ability, health or ‘safety. con- cerns would ;not come under the bylaw. “If the apartment hasn’t been painted in five or 10 years, but otherwisc is in good *. , Shape, i isn’t; leaking, has good “heat —,thativauldn’t be some- “thing” thatsT vould anticipate ©: ing the bylaw to enforce,” he for the property located South of Mount Seymour Parkway, - East of Berkley Road. You are invited to join Canlan Investment Corporation at a project. Date: Time: - Location: 931 meeting to discuss the March 19, 1998 7:00 p.m. Thursday Ron Andrews RecCentre Lytton Street North Vancouver, B.C. This proposal includes the development of a multi-sheet arena complex and ancillary uses with onsite parking for approximately 240 cars. The meeting is being held by the applicant in compliance with District of North Vancouver Council policy. The applicant will present details of the proposal and discuss any concerns residents may have. Information packages are being distributed to residents within 350m of the site. If you would like to receive a copy or if you would like more information please contact Doug Allan of the Planning Department at 990-2357 or bring your questions and comments to the meeting. This is not a Public Hearing, Council will receive a report from staff on issues raised at the meeting and will formaily consider the proposal at a later date.