Vancouver Will Have One Night of Fireworks

The city will have a fireworks show this year

What does $2 million (US$1.46 million) buy you in Vancouver?

A two or three bedroom condo in Kitsilano or downtown, or perhaps a detached house in East Vancouver.

The $2 million could be used to keep libraries open seven days a week, or give to food banks to ensure people have food to eat, fix potholes, or fund arts groups so they can hold their annual events.

But no, Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC Vancouver majority have voted to spend $2 million on fireworks for an hour this summer.

The three-day Celebration of Light, a fireworks competition that was held for three decades was cancelled indefinitely last year because of the lack of federal funding, and Sim felt it was necessary to bring it back -- kind of.

He said it was a "deeply personal" issue, claiming his family had "struggled financially" when he was young, and really looked forward to free events like the fireworks.

Sim added the city had "never pulled our support" from the fireworks, and "had already committed $1.4 million to the event", so the increase is actually $600,000.

Sounds like someone is trying to massage the numbers.

His opponents on city council were not impressed, smelling smoke.

Green councillor Pete Fry, who has also announced he will run for mayor later this year, said that the event was not financially viable.

"The reality is that it was a business model that was not sustainable," he said. "They couldn't make it work, for a variety of reasons, including the lack of federal funding. We need to recognise that we are in this austerity budget. ... We're talking about the allocation of $2 million at a time when this city has talked about a zero means zero austerity budget."

In November City Council voted for a zero percent increase in property taxes, but that meant 400 jobs cut, while utility fees for water, garbage and sewer will go up 4 percent.

Meanwhile COPE councillor Sean Orr also questioned if it was worth spending $2 million on a one-hour fireworks show.

We also wondered that too. The fireworks show would be literally burning money in the sky for an hour. And then what?

While there are complaints that Vancouver is a "no-fun city", now isn't the time to put on something so frivolous. 

It's Sim's attempt at getting in voters' good books before the upcoming civic election later this year. Will voters return the favour?

Turquoise-Coloured Budget for Hong Kong

Chan walking into LegCo to deliver his budget speech

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po unveiled his budget today and it reflects the tough economic climate the city is in.

Chan reported the deficit is at HK$87.2 billion for financial year 2024-45, with the aim to get Hong Kong into the black by 2028-29. Meanwhile the city's reserves continue to dwindle, from HK$734.5 billion (US$94.5 billion) to HK$647.3 billion, and is expected to decrease further to HK$580.3 billion in 2025-26. 

In order to tighten the government's belt, he announced pay freezes for civil servants and cutting some 10,000 posts. That clearly reveals a very bloated operation.

Ip wearing sunglasses and leather top

Other ways to bring in more money is to charge HK$200 instead of the current HK$120 for departure tax, allow betting on basketball games through the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and to make seniors shell out more for public transportation.

The elderly have had a great time taking advantage of the HK$2 fare on most public transit, and the government has had to subsidise the rest of the fares. But now there will be a cap on 240 trips per month, and seniors will have to pay 20 percent more on those routes costing over HK$10. 

It's controversial because it's mean to take away what was a privilege for the elderly, though 240 trips is more than reasonable.  

Chan's address clocked in at one hour and 48 minutes, and some lawmakers lost interest and looked at their smartphones.

However, it was hard to tell with Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who wore dark sunglasses inside the Legislative Council chamber. Lau claimed she had an eye inflammation, but she looked grumpy; she did comply with the dress code of wearing something turquoise to match the colour of the budget's cover.

Hong Kong's Fortunes Fall Flat

People went to Che Kung Temple to have their fortunes read

Today Hong Kong's fortune for the Year of the Snake was chosen and it was a warning for the city's government to be prudent and spend wisely.

Kenneth Lau Ip-keung, chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk, knelt down on a cushion in the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin and gently shook a round container filled with numbered bamboo sticks on an angle until one fell onto the floor.

It was No. 24, considered a "neutral" stick that had the corresponding poem: "Do not do anything wrong during your life or cause trouble because of your greed, unless you have a noble person helping you, you should not waste your efforts."

Lau gave his own interpretation: "This fortune means that everyone should do good things and everyone should do what is right. As long as you are not greedy, it will be OK. Things that are done should also be practical."

He was hinting his take on the prophecy was directed at Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who will deliver the budget on February 26.

"The financial secretary needs to make a decision amid the HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion) deficit, I believe that everyone has very high expectations," Lau said.

"Besides spending within his means, I hope the financial secretary will look after the middle-class and low-income residents and not raise fees or taxes."

Lau also pointed out people should not do things just for money, alluding to the recent news of people trapped into scam farms in Cambodia and Myanmar.

However, fortune-teller Chan Tin-yan says the prophecy is a bad one for Hong Kong.

"The city's economy will be bad, it will be utterly terrible," he said. "Che Kung is telling the city government not to bother with so many frivolous things, he is not asking them to do these things."

Indeed.

But the problem is the government doesn't have many creative or innovative ideas to jumpstart the economy, only relying on the mainland which has now backfired, with more locals residents going up north instead in search of cheap shopping and dining sprees.

How about having some foresight and long-term planning that will benefit future generations? 

Wouldn't that be novel?

Quote of the Day: Mike Rowse on Hong Kong's Deficit

Rowse wants to see some major cuts to the Hong Kong budget

Hong Kong is all talk about the upcoming budget and how it needs to tackle the massive deficit, which is currently around HK$200 billion, according to Mike Rowse, who decades ago worked in the civil service dealing with public finances.

While he understands governments around the world need to borrow money in the form of issuing bonds, Rowse says these are still debts.

We love the way he describes in his column in the South China Morning Post how the current administration has spent taxpayer dollars these days: "Simply put, for the past few years, the Hong Kong government has been spending public money like drunken sailors on shore leave."

He suggests it's time to put everything on the table and make the necessary cuts to expenditures, including reducing the number of support staff that legislators have, the number of Economic and Trade Offices that have opened not only in China but also around the world, and asking all departments and policy bureaus to reduce spending.

Taxpayers want to see their money well spent, not like drunken sailors on shore leave...

Lam to Downsize Lavish Office Space

Lam needs to downsize her office... to the Immigration Tower

The Hong Kong government needs to tighten its belt with a nearly HK$100 million deficit, and one item that will be reduced is former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's office that cost HK$9.17 million in the 2023-24 financial year.

Her current office is located at One Pacific Place in Admiralty, a sprawling 2,874 sq ft space, but after the lease ends in mid-May she will be moving to... Immigration Tower in Wan Chai.

Her office is currently at One Pacific Place

Ironically it was her administration that announced plans to demolish the tower in 2017 along with two other government buildings and develop them into convention, hotel and commercial facilities.

Alas, Lam not only has to downsize, but also downgrade.

Her new office will be occupying the one used by the director of immigration.

All previous chief executives get the perk of having their own office, though the first three share office space at an office complex on Kennedy Road.

They apparently use these offices to promote Hong Kong, such as receiving visiting dignitaries and delegations, giving media interviews, attending functions and speaking engagements.

The first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa is 87 years old and supposedly declining in health; Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was convicted of misconduct in public office in 2015, so he keeps a low profile; and Leung Chun-ying is 70 years old and likes to criticise not only incumbents but also adversaries.

Immigration Tower was planned to be demolished

And then Lam who became world famous for her performance during the 2019 protests and the Covid-19 pandemic soon after.

So do these former leaders still need office space? Maybe they can make a deal with WeWork on renting co-working spaces? It would help ease the city's budget somewhat...

How Much Will the 2026 FIFA World Cup Cost?

Vancouver is one of 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup

Vancouver will be one of the cohosts of the FIFA 2026 men's World Cup, but taxpayers have no idea how much money they will be on the hook for the global football event.

Toronto released its estimation of some C$380 million, up from C$300 million, and Vancouver is expected to be in that ballpark as well.

However, while Toronto Mayor Oliva Chow has been transparent with what has fallen into her lap, Vancouver City Hall has refused to follow suit, same with the provincial government.

Toronto Mayor Chow estimates C$380M

Reporters have tried many times to request a copy of the contract or the amount of money budgeted, but they have either been rebuffed or given stacks of redacted papers that are practically blank.

Finally Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport says the amount will be revealed in a "few weeks".

"As soon as we are able to we will be releasing everything we are able to legally," Popham said Thursday.

The football games during the World Cup will be held in 16 cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Vancouver will host seven of the 104 tournament games at BC Place Stadium starting in June 2026.

Originally Vancouver was expected to host five games at an estimated cost of C$230 million over a year ago.

"We have a significant increase in opportunity, with that comes an increase in cost. So with seven games we have more security costs. So we have to redo some of the numbers from the initial estimates," said Popham.

Sim "super pumped" but no released figure yet

A big chunk of the budget will be for security, and fulfilling FIFA's requirements that real grass be installed at BC Place, with specific instructions on how the grass be watered and cared for.

However the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is frustrated that the final figure is still not known and tried to force Vancouver into revealing numbers by releasing Toronto's budget. 

"Taxpayers have every right to know how much we're paying to host seven soccer games," said Carson Binda, BC director with the CFT. "The city and province must be transparent with taxpayers instead of hiding the details."

Binda said other host cities like Toronto and Seattle have already released their contracts with FIFA to the public, and that Vancouver Mayor sim should "stop the secrecy" and "release the unredacted contracts."

While Sim is "super pumped" about Vancouver hosting seven games, it does cost money. Indeed, we are waiting...

Fact of the Day: Hong Kong's Lowest in the World

Hong Kong doesn't offer enough incentives to have children

Hong Kong has a new reputation of having the lowest birthrate in the world.

This ranking is according to a report by the United Nation Population Fund that was released on April 19.

The Hong Kong government previously said the population dropped as students went overseas to study.

Hong Kong's birthrate continues to plunge

But now it can't hide the fact that there are very few babies being born in the city. Many young women have migrated elsewhere in light of the national security law and there are others who prefer to remain childless.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong's fertility rate dropped from 1,080 in 2018 to 772 in 2021.

In the latest financial budget released in late February, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po proposed increasing the the child allowance by HK$10,000 (US$1,275) to HK$130,000.

However, lawmakers to residents complained the amount was too little to cover the costs of raising a child in Hong Kong. Experts suggest giving financial aid is the best option -- provided the amount was enough.

"There is international evidence suggesting that financial incentives including tax incentives have a positive impact on fertility, and at least, may encourage couples to give birth earlier," said assistant professor Tan Poh Lin, who studies Singapore's low birth rate at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

HK has a higher number of seniors than youth

However, Paul Yip Siu-fai, the chair professor in population health at the University of Hong Kong, said the government had yet to treat the low birth rate as "a matter of life and death" as the Singaporean government had.

"It will not work unless you invest a very large sum of money," he said.

Yip said the government should instead focus on improving people's quality of life to make them happier while improving work conditions for women.

Indeed. But will the government listen?

HK Govt Plans to Stimulate Economy by Eating

Does Gourmet Marketplace mean food festivals all year round?

The Hong Kong government has run out of ideas. It really cannot think of anything fun, innovative, or clever in its bid to stimulate the economy.

So it has resorted to a campaign called "Happy Hong Kong".

Hello Hong Kong

and now Happy Hong Kong.

Chan announced "Happy Hong Kong" in speech

The new campaign was announced by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po today during his budget speech and the details are... laughable.

"We will soon launch the "Happy Hong Kong" Campaign for the general public, providing them opportunities to share happy and enjoyable moments together, thereby bringing more joy to the community," said Chan.

Uh huh.

"One of the major themes for this series of events is the launch of a "Gourmet Marketplace", under which large-scale food fairs will be organised in various locations across the territory in the coming months, bringing together Mainland, Hong Kong and overseas gourmet food, with a view to enabling the public and visitors enjoy the good food in the city," he said.

It just sounds like a major gorge-fest that's going to have a lot of drunk and overstuffed people all over the city crawling for their Pepto-Bismol.

How about these outdoor food stalls every week?

But perhaps even worse is for the kitchen staff who will probably have to work remotely outside of their restaurants to prepare food which is a huge challenge in itself. Trucking in all the ingredients, pots, pans, refrigerators, stoves, cutlery, then having to cook onsite... it already sounds like a culinary nightmare.

And anyway Hong Kong has had several of these food festivals before and they were OK-lah, overpriced and weather dependent. It makes no sense and this "Gourmet Marketplace" has not been thought out carefully.

Does the government think shoving lots of food in front of Hongkongers will make them forget the deteriorating human rights situation, the national security law and growing authoritarianism in the city?

It's a pathetic attempt at wallpapering things over...