Houseboat owners in east Richmond are up in arms over what they contend is a 264 per cent rent increase by Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) over the past six years.
Dorothy Leighton lives in the sailboat she owns at Highwater Marina, across from Annacis Island, and claims PMV is effectively forcing the 50 or so houseboat residents off their foreshore properties.
The problem, said Leighton, is that the port is using nearby industrial land values to assess the value of the water and foreshore she and others rent. Leighton asked Richmond city council for support on Monday.
“There is great disparity in port rents when compared to provincial water lease rents, and the port totally ignores provincial tax assessment of waterlot earnings. Many small boat marinas, with federal waterlot leases administered by (PMV), are becoming progressively uneconomic to maintain,” stated Leighton in her address to council.
Leighton said she fears this year’s assessment will spell an end to the marina and the floating neighbourhood.
PMV told the Richmond News that Leighton exaggerated the rent being charged to the marina. The port claims it has taken measures to mitigate rising rents as a result of rising land values.
