By Chuck Chiang
Swanson, an anti-poverty activist, mentioned on Friday that Sim’s plans to pause internet new supportive housing items in Vancouver and cut back the focus of social providers within the Downtown Eastside are “not compassionate” and are akin to sufferer blaming.
She mentioned housing was basic to well being and security, and with about 3,000 folks on the town’s supportive housing wait-list, some would “in all probability die on that wait-list” if no new items had been constructed.
Sim introduced his plan at a discussion board on Thursday held by the Save Our Streets coalition, a bunch of companies expressing considerations over crime and public security in locations such because the Downtown Eastside.
He mentioned 77% of Metro Vancouver’s supportive providers had been positioned in Vancouver, which has about 25% of the area’s inhabitants.
He attributed a number of the Downtown Eastside’s woes to its “cycle of hyper-concentrated social providers” and mentioned the neighbourhood can be higher served by integrating it into the remainder of the town.
In a written response, B.C. Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon mentioned he needed to talk with Sim to seek out out what precisely the plan entails.
“My understanding is that the mayor’s argument is that he needs to see different communities constructing extra supportive housing, too,” Kahlon mentioned.
“I’m sympathetic to that — different communities in Metro Vancouver have to do their half.
“However the easy fact is that if we don’t get housing inbuilt Vancouver and throughout the area, which means extra folks residing on the road or in encampments. That doesn’t work for anybody, and it makes our communities much less secure.”
Sim’s press secretary, Kalith Nanayakkara, mentioned additional particulars of the plan can be made out there nearer to the date when the mayor presents a movement on the proposal to council.
Russell Maynard, who says he has labored in neighborhood hurt discount for greater than 20 years, mentioned in a submit on social media platform X that Sim’s plan “is the flawed resolution to the best drawback.”
Coun. Peter Meiszner, who’s a member of Sim’s ABC Vancouver celebration’s majority on council, mentioned on X that “constructive change is coming” by way of the plan, which he known as a “lengthy overdue change of route in metropolis coverage to construct a more healthy neighbourhood.”
Swanson mentioned she wasn’t shocked by Sim’s announcement, noting the council had already removed various supportive housing items within the metropolis since coming to energy in 2022.
“If there’s no new supportive housing, we’re going to get extra homelessness,” she mentioned.
“So he might imagine that he’s integrating Downtown Eastside with the remainder of the town by making extra folks homeless. However these folks should go someplace, and it’s not going to profit anyone to have 1000’s extra folks on the streets.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 24, 2025.
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Final modified: January 25, 2025