117 people remain in encampment on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside as province promises more housing
B.C.'s housing minister provided an update Sunday on the work being done to get people living on the streets of the Downtown Eastside into housing.
Ravi Kahlon said the province and its partners have been working on a "comprehensive" response plan for the area since July of last year, when Vancouver's fire chief ordered an encampment to be cleared. Ninety people have since been moved into housing, according to a statement from the province.
There are still 117 people living in 74 tents and other structures along the stretch of sidewalk on East Hastings Street. Kahlon said those people will continue to be encouraged to move into temporary, indoor shelter spaces.
By June of 2023, Kahlon said the province and its partners will be opening up 330 units of new housing.
"As safety concerns increase, we are urging people to take up the offers of indoor spaces that are available right now as we continue to open long-term housing," Kahlon said in a statement.
Mayor Ken Sim, who joined the minister for the news conference, reiterated concerns raised by police about violence in the encampment and the surrounding area. He also noted that the fire chief's order was made, in part, because of the risk that a fire could spread to surrounding SRO buildings.
In 2022 hundreds of the city's lowest-cost, last-resort spaces on the Downtown Eastside were destroyed by fires – compounding the homelessness crisis in the area and driving more people onto the streets. These fires were not caused by the encampment, but likely contributed to its growth.
Kahlon noted that a portion of the new housing units that are opening up will be for those who lost their homes in fires.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.