Quote:
Originally Posted by dc_denizen
I find this a more interesting question outside of Toronto, which we've discussed ad nauseum here, and vancouver, where the answer is obvious (china)
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Wrong.
Vancouver had an impressive skyline for its size long before the money started pouring in from China in 2012. The West End went up when China was still in the midst of the Cultural Revolution. The Vancouver model (downtown high rise living in "point towers") preceded that capital flight out of China by decades.
Has Chinese money greatly influenced high-end to luxury high-rise developments within the region over the last decade? Of course it has, but Vancouver was already out of land, had implemented the TOD-style of development, and had an impressive skyline long before Xi's policies started to drive the tidal wave of Chinese money out west.
Also, as SIGSEGV and mhays mentioned, Vancouver residents blocked the development of a large freeway that would have changed the course and culture of the city and its downtown forever. Because of this, Vancouver's downtown remained walkable and a desirable place to live.
Vancouver has had a history of high-rise living since the 60s, and whether Chinese money came or went, we'd still be building high rises in and around downtown.