Here’s what happened during the East Hastings encampment eviction

Good morning,

Buckle up everyone, today’s newsletter is a deep dive into the Hastings encampment clearing. Hopefully this catches you up on what happened and what it means for the city.

Plus, is Vancouver facing a drought this summer? This and so much more in today’s newsletter.

One bit of housekeeping. There will be no Monday newsletter, since you’re getting one tomorrow. Newsletter writers deserve at least one day off, right?

Hope you enjoy today’s edition and have a great long weekend.

— Geoff Sharpe, newsletter editor

If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

WEATHER

Friday: 12 🌡️ 6 | 🌧

Saturday: 9 🌡️ 7 | 🌧

Sunday: 11 🌡️ 7 | 🌧

Monday: 10 🌡️ 5 | 🌧

VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS

🏠 $21,000: The increase in cost of home prices in the Greater Vancouver Area. That’s a 1.8% increase to an average of $1.44 million. [Better Dwelling]

🧑‍💼 4.5%: The unemployment rate in B.C., down from 5.1 percent last month. It’s the second lowest in the country after Quebec. [CTV]

📊 $16.75: B.C.’s new minimum wage as of June 1. That’s a 6.9 percent increase from $15.65. That’s a yearly increase of $2,200 for a minimum wage worker. [CTV]

CITY HALL

East Hastings encampment cleared, but what happens now?

What happened: The tent encampment along East Hastings was dismantled Wednesday and Thursday, but questions remain about where these people will end up.

On Wednesday morning the area was blocked and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), firefighters and city officials were dispatched to remove the tents, putting all the items people didn’t cart away into garbage trucks. Efforts on Wednesday were met with small resistance, with the police telling the media that projectiles were thrown at officers. The city says 36 people were removed, according to CBC.

• Dig deeper: Here’s a timeline of the city’s actions on Wednesday. [Vancouver Sun]

The goal was to end the encampment on Wednesday, but that didn’t happen. Police returned at 9 am on Thursday to finish removing tents in the area.

Why now: The new ABC council had been making public comments that the status quo wasn’t tenable. A quick response and removal of a Kitsilano encampment may have been an early sign the approach to tens was changing.

Fire Chief Karen Fry recently has been quick to point out the rise in outdoor fires, with more than 400 on East Hastings in the last eight months, according to CTV. Her department has increasingly been vocal about the need for removal of the tents due to fire hazards. They removed over 1,600 propane tanks from the area since August of last year, according to Global.

• Two weeks ago a fire destroyed multiple tents and spread to a building, according to CTV.

The problem: “I’ll just keep sleeping outside,” is what one homeless man told the Globe and Mail. He likely won’t be the only one — Vancouver city manager Paul Mochrie told the media there were not enough shelter places for everyone, with Mayor Ken Sim saying “shelter space availability is fluid.” Morchrie said about 100 people are likely to seek shelter, but there would likely not be enough for everyone overnight, according to Global.

• The city promised storage space for the homeless, but Global News reported that the storage in question was just garbage bins.

What others are saying: The BC Civil Liberties Association called it a “gross human rights violation” to evict people without housing.

Media concerns: Journalists raised concerns about the Vancouver Police Department’s use of “exclusion zones” to limit the ability of reporters to form reporting.

These exclusion zones have been used by police, such as the Fairey Creek blockade, to limit reporting, according to the Narwhal. One reporter got in through an alley and recorded a short video of a tent being torn down.

Criticism abounds: Journalists and Twitter users pointed out that some officers were wearing the thin blue line patch during the evictions, a symbol associated with the far-right, and banned by the VPD.

The city was also criticized for traffic cameras going down in the area just as the eviction began.

• Community impact: The Aboriginal Front Door Society told the Vancouver Sun they were inundated with displaced people as they sought a place for their storage, with over 400 totes brought into their space.

What comes next: While the tents may be gone from East Hastings, there were reports of people setting up tents in the alleys rather than the streets, according to the Vancouver Sun. According to Nicole Mucci of the Union Gospel Mission, the 330 new units announced by the provincial government aren’t even enough to cover the units vacated recently in the area from fires.

Thought-bubble: While the visible signs of the encampment may be gone, the problems that caused the encampment — lack of housing — continue to persist. The question is how long until the tents return as many people are forced to live on the streets, with nowhere to go?

• See what East Hastings looks like after the removal of tents. [Vancouver Sun]

HOLIDAY

What’s open and what’s closed in Vancouver over the holiday

With Good Friday and Easter Monday, expect schedules to change. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know.

Transit: Translink services, including buses and SkyTrain will operate under Sunday/holiday hours on Friday, and normal hours on Monday. Customer service will also not be open, according to Daily Hive.

Public buildings: Libraries and government buildings will also be closed. ICBC and banks will also be closed.

Things to do: Expect different hours at popular venues like Science World, Vancouver Art Gallery, the Aquarium and Botanical Gardens. Check the sites for more info. Most major malls are closing at 7 pm.

Grocery stores: Most are still open, with places like Save-On-Foods operating at normal hours.

THE AGENDA

🔥 An individual poured gasoline on the Vapester Smoke Shop on Commercial Drive, lit a fire and ran away. An investigation by the police is underway. [CTV]

🍷 City staff are recommending a safe alcohol drinking zone in the Downtown Eastside as a harm reduction strategy, along with seven plazas that almost all used last year. [Vancouver Sun]

🏢 There are a number of large groups interested in the Nordstrom’s previous downtown location at CF Pacific Centre. [Business in Vancouver]

🏒 Canucks signed undrafted free agent Cole McWard to the team for a two-year entry-level contract. [NHL]

🚌 The Vancouver Art Gallery will close on Tuesdays and bring in monthly passes costing $5 a month as part of a number of changes to the gallery. [CTV]

🏗️ Real estate groups say that costs need to come down to increase the number of buildings being built. [Global News]

⚖️ An appeal to the Supreme Court by Dr. Day to allow patients experiencing long wait times to use private clinics was dismissed, after losing in the B.C. Supreme Court. It ends a 14-year legal battle. [CBC]

🏠 Reporter Jeremy McElroy broke down a meeting of hundreds of politicians who gathered in Vancouver to discuss the housing crisis. Did they solve anything? You be the judge! [Twitter]

WEEKEND EVENTS

Easter

Maplewood Farm Easter Event | Sunday, 10 am-2 pm | Crafts, activities, music and vendors | Free

Bingo Egg-Stravaganza | Capilano Mall | Saturday 12 pm-2 pm | It’s bunny bingo time. Come win some tasty chocolate | Free

Easter at the Cannery | Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site | Until Sunday, 10:30 am-4:30 pm | Crafts, storytime, games and the Easter Salmon Scavenger Hunt. Sounds fishy! | Tickets range in price

Eggs-tacular Easter Egg Hunt | Roundhouse Community Centre | Varying times, ending at 1:30 pm | An egg hunt, arts and crafts, bunnies and cookie decorating | Children $12

Asian Easter Market | Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport | Saturday and Sunday, 11 am-6 pm | Celebrate Easter, Asian food and culture | Free

Easter Sunday Brunch | Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier | 11 am-2:30 pm | A massive smorgasbord of delicious food options | Tickets $117

Sports

Vancouver Canadians | Nat Bailey Stadium | Tonight, 7 pm | Minor league baseball time! Come see the Canadians play against the Spokane | Tickets $20

Family

Furbaby Pop Up | Helena Guttridge Plaza, Vancouver City Hall | Saturday 11 am-5 pm | Music, dog treats and everything for your dog | Free

Food

Soup & Bread: Tour, Cooking Demo & Lunch | Coquitlam Heritage at Mackin House | Saturday 11:30 am-1 pm | A fun mini workshop about food around Passover | Tickets $25.

ENVIRONMENT

Water restrictions incoming

What’s happening: Metro Vancouver says stop using water? Well, it’s not that bad, but expect regular water restrictions to start soon in order to conserve water for the summer months, according to Global

• Changing weather patterns from climate change are to blame. Water restrictions are required if the water supply cannot be replenished fast enough.

The details: Stage 1 regulations limit lawn watering to once a week and will likely go from May to Oct. 31. Plants can be hand watered whenever. According to the Vancouver Sun:

• “Under Stage 1, residents at even-numbered addresses can water their lawns with sprinklers on Saturdays between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and manual watering between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., while those at odd-numbered addresses can water their lawns on Sundays at the same times as in force on Saturday.”

Background: B.C. lakes and rivers are already quite low this year and we may be in for drought-like conditions, according to the Vancouver Sun. The snowpack is currently at 80 percent of where it normally is for this time of year.

Zoom out: Water comes from rainfall and snowmelt into the Seymour, Capilano and Coquitlam reservoirs. Less water means less hydro electricity to power homes.

What experts say: We should expect more droughts in the future. More serious water restrictions could happen in the future due to hot weather causing more water to evaporate from reservoirs and the Coquitlam Glacier, according to Glacier Media.

FOOD

Bugers, bars and Michelin problems

Openings and new food

Lulu Burger: There’s no such thing as too many smashburger joints. Expect this new spot to launch in the Richmond Night Market. [Daily Hive]

Food Republic: A high-tech food court is coming to downtown Vancouver. What does that mean? Expect more robots and fewer people. [Vancouver is Awesome]

Burnaby is getting a food truck block party on April 22-23 with more than 20 different food truck options. The list looks excellent. [604Now]

Bar Susu: The Michelin-recommended spot has a new tasting menu focused on European-Japanese cooking styles. [Scout]

Their There: The breakfast and lunch restaurant has a new cocktail list and some snacks if you’re out late in the evening. [Scout]

News you can use

Good news wine lovers. Vancouver may soon be selling wine in grocery stores. [Urbanized]

¿CóMO? Tapería’s wine manager shared their favourite B.C. wines. [Scout Magazine]

Discover why B.C. seems to be ahead of other places when it comes to non-alcoholic drinks. [Vancouver Sun]

How has Vancouver’s dining scene changed since the introduction of Michelin stars? “It’s a cash-grab for sure.” [Eater]

Some people in the restaurant industry are worried about the rate of restaurant closures this year and what it means for Vancouver’s restaurant industry. [Georgia Straight]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Need a weekend trip to Vegas? Get a flight and hotel for only $306. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• The winner of Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar is helping people explore Vancouver’s drag scene with a new guide. [Georgia Straight]

• A couple in Vancouver has lived in an ambulance for two-and-a-half years… talk about a small space. [CTV]

MEME OF THE DAY

GAME TIME

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