Vancouver is at risk of losing its hallowed brand as “the world’s most livable city” if it doesn’t solve its growing problem of housing affordability, Mayor Gregor Robertson said Thursday.

International surveys have repeatedly lauded Vancouver for being among the most desirable places to live, and that’s been good for the city’s economy, he said at the conclusion of the two-day Cities Summit exploring ideas on how to build lasting cities.

But the high cost of living means the city doesn’t live up to that reputation for some who live here, Robertson said, and that presents a serious problem as the world’s population continues an unprecedented migration to urban centres.

“I think if we don’t focus on affordability now we risk diminishing that status,” he said.

“Right now it is not the world’s most livable city for lots of people who can’t afford to live here, or to live in reasonable conditions.

The union representing the majority of postal workers across the country has notched up another win in its battle against the Harper government’s back-to-work legislation of last summer.

A federal court in Montreal has overturned Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt’s appointment of retired judge Coulter Osbourne to arbitrate the labour dispute and ordered Raitt to appoint a bilingual arbitrator with labour relations experience. Osbourne, a unilingual judge with no previous labour experience, resigned in November; had he not done so, this decision, handed down by Judge Martineau, would have cancelled his appointment.

An arctic-like cold snap comprising snow and freezing temperatures gave MLA Jagrup Brar an even colder, unkind welcome to Vancouver’s Down-town Eastside on Jan 17. Brar moved into the final two weeks of his quest to see if he could live on the monthly $610 welfare payment issued by social services.

The Surrey Fleetwood NDP MLA began his month long experiment with the poverty action group Raise the Rates on Jan. 1. After living in a rented room in a house in Surrey for the first two weeks and scrimping by on a meagre food budget, Jagrup was already down to $55 last week. $475 has already been allocated to rent with a food budget of $108 to last him 31 days. By Tuesday he said all that remained of his welfare payment was $21.45.