I think a vacancy tax is pretty futile - you will get some new tax revenue but enforcement and collection far outweighs the effort.  In VanCity, they had someone from the city go door to door asking whether or not folks rented - yes or no and that was it - no followup nothing.  I highly doubt that Paris collected anything near what they initial projected and clearly it has not worked.  The proposed 63 million is nice only after to you consider the cost of enforcement and if you do not have acquire land at current market values to build affordable housing or pay high construction costs in a hot market.  Most Parisians don't live in the big city but in smaller villages/cities connected by high speed train service.  Perhaps the GVA need to invest in high speed train service to Hope and better transit services in South Fraser and Port Coquitlam and Maple Ridge to encourage affordable housing in those areas instead of trying to build affordable housing in the priciest area.