The city wants to radically change housing policy in the Downtown Eastside. Advocates and residents are concerned

In partnership with

Good morning, 

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

WEATHER

Friday: 18 🌡️ 9 | ☀️

Saturday: 12 🌡️ 4 | ☀️

Sunday: 12 🌡️ 6 | 🌤️

Monday: 16 🌡️ 9 | 🌤️

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

20%: That’s how much a new report by the BC government says the province will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The problem? The goal is to reduce them by 30 per cent, in order to hit its Climate Change Accountability Act. [Business in Vancouver]

FEDERAL ELECTION

The city wants to radically change housing policy in the Downtown Eastside. Advocates and residents are concerned

By Nate Lewis

Last week, the city announced a suite of proposed changes to housing policy requirements in the Downtown Eastside (DTES).

On Thursday evening, about 100 residents, community members, and service providers gathered at the Japanese Hall on Alexander Street for a lively community forum to hear about the proposal, ask questions, and make comments about personal and community needs. 

The forum was organized by the Carnegie Housing Project, with former councillor and anti-poverty advocate Jean Swanson helping to break down the city’s complex proposal. 

Swanson emphasized that once city staff revise and finalize these recommendations and present them to city council, councillors and the mayor will have the opportunity to adopt, amend, or pass on the proposals, meaning there’s still much that is unknown about how these proposed changes could or will be adopted.   

However, the details thus far offer an insightful and complex look into the city’s plans to incentivize private development in the DTES.

Plan details 

The proposed changes include a significant shift in the mix of social and market housing for new buildings in the Downtown Eastside-Oppenheimer District (DEOD), allow rules around the redevelopment of single room occupancy buildings (SROs), and more than double allowable building heights in some DTES areas. 

• The DEOD area is roughly between Alexander and Hastings and Main and Heatley streets, plus one more block and a half west of Main on either side of Hastings.  

The current rezoning policies for the DEOD effectively require any new residential development to have 60 per cent of the building’s units be social (non-market) housing and 40 per cent of units at market rental rates. City staff propose the ratio be flipped, and then some, to 80% secured market rental housing and 20% social housing. 

Another change, or option, is to allow private developers to build new projects with 10 per cent of units being offered at “deeply discounted rents.” That policy would also include protections for tenants, like allowing them to return to their units at existing rents, paying moving costs. Deeply discounted means rents that are half of citywide average rents, which would be about $800 currently, a city spokesperson told Vancity Lookout. 

The tenant protection policy would cover tenants in the DEOD, all SROs, and in a small area around Main Street between Thornton Park and the Viaduct. 

A third consequential policy shift is increasing the allowable height and density of buildings, up to 32 storeys in some areas. Existing policy in the DTES plan generally sets maximum building heights between 75 and 120 feet (or roughly around 8-13 storeys) in most areas. 

Translating storeys to height is tricky and variable, but a rough calculation of 9 feet per storey would make a 32-storey building about 288 feet, more than double the currently allowed building height in the area.   

Proposed changes regarding the replacement of SROs include relaxing the one-to-one replacement requirement to 50% for conversions and 20% for redevelopments, decrease minimum unit size, and allow for SRO buildings to be replaced off-site, according to the city.

Why make these changes?

“While proposed changes would reduce the number of shelter rate housing and social housing units required for individual projects, they would improve the financial viability of these projects, leading to more overall social housing being built,” the city argued in their announcement. 

“Private developers can help deliver affordable housing but right now there is no ability or incentive for them to do so in this neighborhood,” according to the city.

The proposed changes from staff come in response to Councillor Rebecca Bligh’s successful 2023 motion asking staff to look at options to update the DTES area to deliver more social and support housing, and accelerate the replacement of existing SROs, among other initiatives to improve conditions in the DTES. 

Bligh motion noted that since the DTES area plan was established in 2014, only two housing projects – at 41 and 288 East Hastings – have been built under the 60/40 social/market unit requirements in the DEOD. Both buildings are operated by Atira Property Management.

By publication time, Bligh had not responded to Vancity Lookout’s request for an interview. 

The comprehensive 2014 DTES plan set 10-year objectives for social, market rental, and market ownership housing units in the area. While the number of new social housing units has surpassed the plan’s targets, the number of market units have fallen well short, according to Storeys.

The plan is really about the city wanting to justify or rationalize flooding the DTES with richer people, Swanson alleged at the community forum. 

Without reliable housing investment from senior governments, the plan can be seen as a compromise, with the city weakening their social housing requirements in the neigbourhood in an attempt to move development projects forward, given challenging market conditions in the construction industry – particularly in Vancouver.  

The case against the proposal

“I don't think that we should be compromising in this instance,” COPE Councillor Sean Orr told Vancity Lookout. 

“I understand that market conditions are very difficult right now for a lot of people, a lot of developers. I understand the costs are high… but I think this is one area that I'm going to dig my heels in and say that we need to preserve this unique 60/40 split,” Orr said, though he emphasized that he would go into any council meeting with an open mind on the proposal at hand. 

“This is something that I'm deeply concerned about and will fight for,” Orr said.

Devin O’Leary, a community organizer and researcher with the Carnegie Housing Project said his biggest concern is that with this plan, and the pause on new supportive housing, the city is “choosing to exclude the 4,000 people [who] currently don't have housing in Vancouver.” 

The funding [and DTES zoning] priorities are [now] going to be about replacing low-income housing and [single-room occupancy buildings (SROs)], rather than building new housing that people who are currently waiting for housing could move into,” he said. 

O’Leary said the 4,000 figure is CHP’s estimate based on no fixed address data from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, and people who are not included in that data because they’re not on social assistance, or are incentivized to misreport their housing status. 

O’Leary, a former Atira employee, has first-hand experience in social housing, as he has lived in both the Atira buildings developed in the past 10 years and said living in the mixed-income set-up has been a good experience. 

• “For the people that need the shelter rate units, they’re new buildings, they're really nice, and [people] really appreciate them,” O’Leary said of the Atira buildings.

“A lot of the other people who live in the building, including me, actually work in the Downtown Eastside… People [with higher incomes who] live in the building also have a relationship with the neighbourhood and the people who live there,” O’Leary said.  

The pros and cons of public procurement 

In terms of alternative policy pirorities for the area, O’Leary would like to see the city and non-profits purchase SROs – particularly ones that are still in decent shape like the Arlington Hotel, O’Leary said. 

At the forum, Chris Livingstone, executive director of the Aboriginal Front Door Society, said he thinks putting SROs into community ownership is the way to go. One way to do that would be through a community land trust, O’Leary said. 

“We need to reject this plan and ask for more for our people… is that [plan] what we want for our Chinese seniors, for all our Indigenous people who are living on the DTES,” Livingstone asked rhetorically, to shouts of ‘no’ from the crowd. According to the Carnegie Housing Project, one third of people who are unhoused in Vancouver are Indigenous. 

Bligh’s motion did ask staff to explore a “Right of First Refusal” by-law, which would give the City priority to purchase buildings or lands for sale. However, staff said it wasn’t likely to increase the quantity or distribution of non-market housing, as the main barrier is having the money to purchase properties for sale. 

After years of “neglect and disrepair” by the previous owners, the Sahota family, the city took ownership of the Regent Hotel and the Balmoral Hotel in 2020. The former SROs stood across the street from each other near Main and Hastings.

The city tried to expropriate, or take away, the properties from the Sahota family in 2019, but faced a legal challenge and ended up buying the buildings for an undisclosed amount, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

The Balmoral was demolished in 2024 and the Regent has been closed since 2018. The plan is for both sites to be redeveloped by BC Housing, a provincial Crown corporation, but there is no timeline for the start of renovation work at the Regent while, pending agreements, social housing construction at the former Balmoral site is expected to start in 2027, according to Global News.   

Government responsibility and expanding shelter rate housing options

“If that social housing isn't being built, it's not because of those [existing policy] requirements. It's because there's no funding from the federal government and provincial government and those that's who we should be lobbying,” Coun. Sean Orr said.

Orr said the city may also be missing out on short-term opportunities to generate revenue, like when they recently approved a $1.1 million payment for the conversion of the Clifton Hotel, a former SRO on Granville Street, despite being entitled to collect up to $22.2 million under the city’s SRA Conversion By-law, according to CityNews. 

“That’s a lot of money that could fund a lot of housing projects,” Orr said, explaining that staff decided the conversion project wouldn’t be viable if they’d asked for more money.

Shifting these policies lets senior governments off the hook argued O’Leary, who said it’s the government’s responsibility to provide housing and the market supply approach isn’t going to work to provide affordable housing for low-income people.

“This is a plan [the city is] having to rely on because senior government is not coming to the table,” O’Leary told Vancity Lookout.

O’Leary also wants to see the city change the definition of social housing to include shelter rate housing, which is currently only included in the DTES area plan. A single person on social assistance who has housing gets $500 per month to pay for shelter.

The city is currently working on a city-wide social housing initiative to allow non-profit social housing in many areas of the city without a rezoning. That proposal is being refined by city staff and be presented for a second round of public engagement this June.

If shelter rates were included in the city-wide social housing initiative, then “people in the downtown East Side [would get] more housing options in these other neighborhoods, where it's maybe easier to build quickly and they won't be removed from their current housing to get it,” O’Leary said. 

Opportunities for public input 

The proposal came with a request for public input, which will inform the recommendations that staff present to council later this year, the city said. 

An online survey about the proposal will be available until May 16, and the city will be hosting a public information session at the Japanese Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. on May 12.

The city will also be hosting several workshops and office hours for service providers, neihgbourhood organizations, and property owners over the next two weeks. You can find more information on those stakeholder sessions at the city’s public input page linked above. 

The city’s consultation process with the community is just these kind of one-off meetings, not a partnership, O’Leary said. 

“If you compare [this consultation] to the planning process that went into the local area plan in 2014, that was a four-year process [where] they had a [neighbourhood] committee that was actually like helping plan what would happen,” O’Leary explained.  

“I think that's a difficult position for the city to be, in many ways.. But I think they do a pretty good job, generally,” Orr said, in terms of trying to manage consultation and feedback with the public. However, Orr added he wasn’t familiar with the city’s specific consultation efforts in this case. 

The roughly 100 people at the forum on a sunny Thursday night seemed to indicate the neighbourhood’s engagement and concern with the proposal. A speaker suggested having more townhalls in the future, and O’Leary said they would try to host another one in June.

SPONSORED BY SELECTSOFTWARE REVIEWS

Tailored HR Software Recommendations for Your Organization

Choosing HR software can be overwhelming—with over 1,000+ tools on the market, it’s easy to spend days and still feel unsure.

That’s why thousands of HR teams rely on SSR’s HR software advisors. Instead of spending hundreds of hours on research and demos, you’ll get free 1:1 help from an HR software expert who understands your requirements and provides 2–3 tailored recommendations based on your unique needs.

Whether you're looking for an HRIS, ATS, or Payroll solution, we help you cut through the noise and make confident decisions—fast.

Why HR teams trust SSR HR Advisors:

✅ 100% free for HR teams
✅ Get 2-3 Tailored solutions from 1,000+ options
✅ 1:1 expert guidance from HR advisors
✅ Trusted by 15,000+ companies

From MIT to the Indianapolis Colts, smart HR teams trust SSR to find the right software—without the stress.

Get Your Free HR Software Matches

THE AGENDA

🏊️ Good news! Kitsilano Pool is expected to re-open for the entire summer, starting on the long weekend in May. Plans for a new facility are being worked on, but for this year, at least, the pool will be back open. [CityNews]

⚽️ It truly is the best of times when it comes to the Whitecaps — the team just can’t stop winning. They defeated Inter Miami on Wednesday to advance to the CONCACAF final. They’ll play either Cruz Azul or Tigres UNAL in the Champions Cup final on June 1. 

🏒 In other less than great sporting news, depending on how you view it, Canucks coach Rick Tocchet is stepping down after taking over in January 2023. He helped get the team to their first playoff appearance in four seasons last year, losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round. [CBC]

⛴️ It seems like every weekend, BC Ferries warns about delays, and this weekend is no different. The Queen of Surrey is being retrofitted and won’t be back in service until May 6, so be prepared for delays at the Departure Bay — Horseshoe Bay, due to the lack of extra vessels available. [CityNews]

Lapu-Lapu tragedy

Today has been declared an official day of mourning for the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy. [CityNews]

Would you protect a man who had just killed 11 people? This is a fascinating story about a man who stood in front of the Lapu-Lapu SUV driver, telling people to wait for the police. [Globe and Mail]

A Vancouver teen who lost his father, sister and step-mother is speaking out after the tragedy, thanking everyone who donated to the GoFundMe fundraiser. He said in the video that he planned to donate $266,000 of the $542,000 raised to the other victims. 

Given the scale of the tragedy, there were bound to be policy changes by different levels of government. BC Premier David Eby announced that his government will change the Mental Health Act, undertaking a full review to modernize the Act, which is over 30 years old. He also promised to call a public inquiry into the deaths after the trial is done, and is also calling an inquiry into new security guidelines to be completed by the end of June for events this summer. [The Globe and Mail]

Outside Vancouver

⛴️ In more ferry news, Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal may soon look different as the critical facilities and infrastructure are upgraded, and berths are replaced. BC Ferries is hoping there will be minimal disruptions. [Urbanized]​​

🏘️ Short-term rental platforms have been given a month's reprieve to ensure all their listings are in fact legal, though rental hosts still will have had to apply for a short-term rental license by May 1. Listings without registration numbers will need to be taken down. [CityNews]

Calling all Vancouver business owners, nonprofits and event organizations

Ever wondered what’s going on with the state of local news, and how to succeed with local advertising in Vancouver?

This weekend, our partnership team is launching an exclusive quarterly newsletter called Lookout Insights, full of the latest strategies on how to get noticed when it comes to local advertising. We’ll also share updates about the Lookout, exclusive discounts on our different ads, and early looks at new ways to reach people.

Subscribe to the newsletter in one click

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Now that’s a view of Mount Baker (even if it is a mountain in the US). 

What did you think of today’s big story?

Have some thoughts on this story? Disagree with something you read? Have an insight to contribute to a topic? Share your opinion in our Comment Corner, and it could be featured in future stories.

FOOD + DRINK

Don't Argue Pizza has the best New York slice in Vancouver

Originally published in November 2024.

Last summer I gorged myself on New York pizza, in New York. I waited in lines, paid outrageous prices, and loved every second of it, each bite a revelation. While Neapolitan continues to be my favourite, a trip to New York will have even the most ardent Italian pizza fans second-guessing themselves.

Vancouver itself is blessed with some excellent Neapolitan pizzerias. Gastronomy Gastown, Just Pizza, Via Tavere, the list goes on. But New York-style? That no-bend, crispy bottom dough? Not so much. 

That is, until I stopped by Don’t Argue Pizza at 1321 Commercial Drive. I am happy to argue with anyone that this is the best slice of New York pizza in Vancouver.

Read the story and subscribe to our restaurant review newsletter instantly (no clickbait stories, just great review) by clicking here. 

EVENT GUIDE

Stuart Little | The Waterfront Theatre, 1412 Cartwright St. | Now until May 11 | Whimsical play based on E.B. White’s classic | Tickets $19–30

DOXA Film Festival | Enjoy documentary screenings, panel discussions, and public forums | Now until May 11, various times and locations | Tickets ~$19 and programming info 

Jane’s Walk Vancouver | Various locations, Metro Vancouver | May 2–4 | Free walking tours about civic issues throughout the weekend | See the event list

TJ Fest 2025 | Tian-Jin Temple, 3426 Smith Ave. | May 3–4, 11 am to 5 pm | Taiwanese food, games, live performances | Free

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs Real Salt Lake | BC Place, 777 Pacific Blvd. | May 3, 6:30 pm | Come see the league-leading Whitecaps | Tickets $28+

Vancouver Aquarium Fish & Sips | Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avison Way | May 3, 7 pm | After-hours ocean party with margaritas, tacos, and music | Tickets $35

The Big Roar Choir Lioni | Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd. | May 3 at 4 pm | Canada’s largest lower voice choir in a choral festival | Tickets $5–120

May The Fourth Be With You Day | H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, 1100 Chestnut St. | May 4, 1 pm to 5 pm | Star Wars crafts, demos, photo ops | Tickets $28

Mother’s Day Market at Junction Public Market | 200 Granville Street, Vancouver | May 10 - May 11, 12 pm-5 pm | Junction’s Mother’s Day Market features chocolate tasting, painting workshops, tarot card readings and live entertainment | Free

Sophia's Forest | Studio T at SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts | May 29 - June 1, 2025 | A chamber opera that explores the inner life of an immigrant girl | Tickets $55+

VIDEO OF THE DAY

About Here videos are some of the best-produced videos explaining a civic issue in Metro Vancouver. This is a great video on downtowns and why they are the way they are. While it’s focused on Surrey, it’s a very interesting look at how the city is building its own downtown, and in what way it should grow. It also has lessons for Vancouver.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• These two Vancouver bars placed 26th and 28th, respectively, on North America’s 50 Best Bars list. 

• Mon Paris cafe, a new French bakery, is opening up in Olympic Village and will start next Tuesday. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• The city has launched a way to share your condolences with the victims’ families of the Lapu Lapu tragedy. You can do so online or at City Hall until May 15

• Keep an eye out for this tuxedo cat, Bruin last seen near 1470 Victoria Drive.

• If you’re looking for ways to support the Filipino community, here’s a list of businesses in the city. [Straight]

WORDLE

Think you can guess today’s Wordle? Play it here.