5. Airbnb bylaw
– The City of Richmond forged ahead with several new bylaws, such as a plan to regulate short-term rentals. However, illegal online listings persisted. Meanwhile, the city introduced a new snow removal bylaw as well as a business signage bylaw that reduces clutter, such as street banners and sandwich boards.
4. Passport babies
– Richmond is the epicentre of a growing birth tourism industry as close to one in five moms (17.4 per cent) entering the Richmond Hospital maternity ward are not Canadian residents (2016-2017 year).
3. Chinese enclave
– Richmond became the first city in Canada to have a visible minority become a majority, when ethnic Chinese folks tallied 54 per cent of the population, per the 2016 census — which also revealed the city’s population nearing 200,000, at the same time families are shown to be exiting while residents are ageing overall.
2. Money laundering
– A Postmedia investigation uncovered serious allegations of drug-fuelled money laundering emanating from China and ending in Richmond’s real estate market. B.C.’s Attorney General David Eby called for a review of gaming policies, with River Rock Casino and Resort at the centre of controversy. Reports indicate public safety is at risk.
1. Farm mega mansions
– With so many large homes being built on farms, media attention turned to city hall policies and residents rose up against Richmond’s “Wild West” bylaws, or lack thereof. But a majority of council decided to go against Ministry of Agriculture guidelines, leaving the door open for smaller mega mansions.
