Activists stood on various street corners in different areas of Vancouver on Saturday to protest the provincial and federal governments' lack of initiative toward housing and homelessness.
Maggie Geiser of the Citywide Housing Coalition said the idea is to demonstrate that affordable housing isn't just a problem on the Downtown Eastside.
"It's not just a Downtown Eastside problem, it's all throughout Vancouver and, in fact, this is a national problem," she said.
The activists gathered in small groups at various major intersections, including Main Street and King Edward, Broadway and Macdonald, and Burrard and Nelson, among others, and stood in silence while wearing colour co-ordinated scarves.
They called the group "Stand for housing; homes for all," and said the event would the first in an ongoing series -- until governments take notice.
"We're making a visible statement to let people know that we're standing for more housing," said Anne Kennedy, a participant in the protest.
They are calling on federal, provincial and municipal politicians to contribute funding and create policy programs for permanent low-income housing.
They give the provincial government some credit for trying to protect existing low-income rental housing but they say ultimately a new, effective social housing program is needed.
"We need a national housing program," said Geiser. "We're the only industrialized nation that doesn't have one."
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Mike Killeen
