Vancouver councillors weigh in on closure of Chinatown's Kent's Kitchen
Vancouver city councillors say the closure of Kent's Kitchen will be a tremendous loss for the community.
This week, the beloved restaurant in Chinatown announced it will be closing its doors for good next month.
Kent's Kitchen has been a staple in the community for decades, offering affordable food to people from all walks of life.
It's believed that the restaurant is closing down because its rent is going up by 30 per cent due to property taxes rising by 10.7 per cent this year.
Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung says one of her government’s challenges is the city’s scope of control.
"Certainly the rent is beyond our abilities—something that is charged by landlords, by the market—but we are trying to drive as many customers and people into the area," she explained.
Kirby-Yung says the city is investing millions of dollars into revitalizing the neighbourhood.
"I think there are some really bright lights on the horizon for Chinatown. We've got the opening of the Chinese Canadian Museum which is slated to open on Canada Day," she said.
The announcement of the restaurant's closure has left the community devastated and hopeful that more can be done to protect businesses like Kent's Kitchen.
Councillor Pete Fry worries the loss of the business will put a lot of financial strain on people.
"There’s not a lot of good affordable food options in the neighbourhood. There’s a lot of overpriced shops," said Fry.
"Kent's Kitchen was one of those back strapping institutions that really helped feed a lot of folks in the neighbourhood with good quality affordable food," he continued.
Fry says it's unlikely the city can do much to save the business within a month.
CTV News tried reaching out to the owner of Kent's Kitchen but has yet to hear back.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.