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
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.