Why is it that on matters of lavish spending of taxpayer’s money for vanity projects Abbotsford City Council is bull-headed and rides roughshod over all opposition, but on matters of important public issues such as affordable housing turn into a bunch of invertebrates (1. creatures without a backbone; 2. without strength of character)?

While the recent announcement about the housing project on Clearbrook Road was most welcome, the fact that the Emerson housing project was scrapped was not only damaging but cancerous to the objective of meeting the need for safe, supportive and affordable housing in Abbotsford.

From the provincial government $11 million dollars for construction plus money for the yearly operating costs of badly needed affordable housing and City Council is not interested; but $500,000 for an unneeded garden that cost taxpayers an additional $700,000 and City Council bulled ahead over all protests.

Apparently those citizens working tirelessly to provide the wide range of affordable housing needed in Abbotsford have been going about this in the wrong manner. Obviously they should have been talking about projects in Chilliwack and Langley and how Abbotsford needed bigger and better such projects at a cost of $$$ millions in taxpayers dollars.

Unlike Abbotsford city hall where money apparently grows on trees, the organizations who in good faith put in proposals for the Emerson project have limited funds and resources.

Because of Abbotsford city council’s behaviour the time, effort and resources these organizations used in pursuing proposals on the Emerson housing project were wasted rather than spent helping those in need of help.

In future what level of government or what organization is going to want to invest time and effort in working with an Abbotsford City Council that cannot be counted on to honour its commitments?

How much more of a struggle has getting safe, affordable and supportive housing become because of Abbotsford city council’s lack of intestinal fortitude and character?