VPD facing lawsuit over allegations of sexual harassment

Good morning,

Congrats to local bus driver Brian Donovan, whose quick-thinking and fire extinguisher helped put out a late-night fire at local cheese shop Les Amis du Fromage (one of my favourite cheese shops in the city). He was honoured with the chief’s commendation from the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, as well as a whole bunch of cheese.

But back to our newsletter, the main stories today are about allegations of harassment against levelled against Vancouver Police Department and a look at the Gastown pedestrian pilot project.

Let’s dive in.

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 22 🌡️ 15 | 🌤️

Thursday: 25 🌡️ 18 | 🌤️

Friday: 27 🌡️ 17 | 🌤️

PUBLIC SAFETY

VPD facing lawsuit over allegations of sexual harassment

What happened: Another allegation of harassment has been levelled against the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), this time by their former head of their public affairs, according to CBC. The allegations include gender and racial discrimination, harassment and bullying. 

• Sharmini Dee resigned from her job in June, alleging that much of the harassment came from the VPD’s spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison, as well as others within the organization. Dee reported directly to the Chief Const. Adam Palmer, while Addison reported to her. 

Allegations: Dee says the allegations are not just her, but a “systematic” issue within the police force. She says Addition was “rude and disrespectful,” “threatening” and that it wasn’t just directed at her, but at other female members in the department. 

Zoom out: This isn’t the first time the VPD has faced allegations of harassment. A class-action lawsuit was filed last year by six female police officers against 13 municipalities and local police forces, including the VPD. Their allegations include demeaning behaviour, misogynistic photographs and unwanted sexual touching, according to the Vancouver Sun.

• A Vancouver cop was suspended with pay last fall after he created an inappropriate poster, with the phrase “swabbing penises for over 100 years,” according to Vancouver is Awesome.

Next steps: The police have not yet filed a response to the allegations and say they cannot comment on it since it’s before the courts. The VPD says that Addison will continue to serve as VPD spokesperson.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

💉 1,158: The number of people dead from toxic drugs in the first six months of the year. The BC Coroners Service says that 185 people died in June, which is lower than the same period in the last three years of tracking. [CityNews]

🔥 340: The number of fires burning in BC right now, mostly in the southeast area. [The Spectator]

🏠 107,266: That’s the number of short-term rentals that could be turned into long-term housing, in a new study from Statistics Canada. The total number of these units increased 60% from 2017-2023. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🌧️ 19: The number of millimetres of rain at YVR on Monday. Normally the average for the region for the entire month of July is 36 millimetres. [CityNews]

ANALYSIS

Businesses express concern over impact of Gastown pedestrian pilot on revenue

What happened: A story from the Vancouver Sun asked Gastown businesses about the effect of the pedestrian pilot project on their revenue. Many noted that their revenue has fallen after construction from the street revitalization, as well as the pedestrian pilot project. 

• The CEO of the Old Spaghetti Factory said that revenue was down 30%. Framing company Kimprints said revenue was down a similar amount.

Conflict: Our recent interview for Insider members with former city planner Sandy James identified that there tends to be a conflict between pedestrianization and businesses that view the loss of parking as a key determinant of their financial success. 

• “One of the challenges [with street space use] is for businesses. They always like to look at what worked well for them, and so in the old days, having people park [out front on the street] worked really well for them. But what we know from commercial areas — and we’ve seen this in Toronto, London, and New York — is that once you put in pedestrian [infrastructure] and places for people to park their bikes, those people actually come 60 per cent more and spend 20 per cent more than the people that came by cars, and that's pretty well universal.”

Zoom out: Other jurisdictions that have experimented with pedestrianization have seen more business. Sandy cited the example of Pearl Street in Brooklyn where sales increased by 40-50% in the area. Businesses in Montreal also praised pedestrianization, with 90% of businesses surveyed saying they “viewed the project favourably,” according to the Globe and Mail. 

Data: Numerous studies have also backed this up. One study out of Spain looked at transactional data from businesses in pedestrianized areas and showed an increase in revenue in those areas, though it also noted that restaurants were the main beneficiary. 

Studies are one thing, but actual experience is another. There could be a few reasons for the problems that businesses are facing in Vancouver. 

Tourism and locals: Gastown is, to put it lightly, a favourite spot for tourists. Think cruise ship traffic. Designing a pedestrianized street that would primarily impact tourists, in an area where locals may not come as much, may not be the best barometer of success. 

Timing: The Gastown business noted that the pedestrian pilot coincided just after the construction, which shut down much of the area and roads as the brick road was replaced. Businesses along major construction areas, like the Broadway subway line, have seen their revenues decline as well, according to CityNews. It may require more time to see the impact of pedestrianization on the entire summer. 

Once you complete the survey, reply and let us know if you’ve been there and if you liked the changes. 

DREAM HOME

I’m going to describe this place and you guess how much it’s worth. Ready?

On the positive side, it’s in Kitsilano, in a great neighbourhood, with a good view in not a tall building.

The bad? It’s listed as not having a bedroom, the layout is a little odd, the kitchen living room entire house is old school, and the patio is pretty small.

So what do you think? $550,000? $600,000? You’ll have to check it out to find out. 

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team. 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Discover a way to give back to the community:

In-school mentoring: Spend one hour per week at a school with an elementary student doing non-academic activities. Apply today.

2024 TAIWANfest: The orgnaization is in need of numerous positions to be filled, including ambassadors, front of house, artist host, and program emcee. Learn more.

Board director: Connective Support Society needs a board director to help with the governance of the organization, including attending meetings, with around 6-8 hours per quarter of time needed. Learn more. 

THE AGENDA

❌ Well that didn’t work — West Vancouver council had on Monday asked for an extension on adopting the provincial-mandated small-scale multi-unit housing policy. On Tuesday, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon denied the request. The city has 30 days to adopt the correct bylaws of the province will enact the policy itself. West Vancouver is the only city council in the province that did not adopt the policies in time. Late last night the mayor said they would meet Wednesday to adopt the policy. [Globe and Mail]

🏊 Vancouver is about to get a 50% increase in outdoor pool capacity… Going from two to three. But hey, it’s better than nothing right? Kits Pool will reopen Aug. 7, after the city says they found outside help to fix the pool. [CBC]

📈 For the second month in a row, Vancouver was the most expensive city to rent a hotel room, even though occupancy fell. The average cost per room in June of $336.53, up 5.5% compared to June 2023. Of course, that didn’t stop people from visiting! [Business in Vancouver]

🏗️ A 60-bed centre for homeless people in Vancouver is still not open, even though the province announced it way back in Aug. 2020. There is also no timeline for when it will be open. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🚸 The city announced that the pedestrian scramble at Granville and Robson, which allows everyone to cross the streets at the same time, is now open. [City of Vancouver]

VANCITY LOOKOUT EATS

What is Vancouver’s signature dish?

This story appeared in Vancity Lookout Eats

Walking through the burrows and brownstoned lined streets of New York, no matter where you go you’ll inevitably find a pizzeria. Small, big, packed, empty, expensive, cheap, it’s the signature dish of a city where any and every type of cheese, dough and sauce is available. 

Cities are increasingly defined by food. It can tell you much about what it is and how it wants to be perceived. Think tacos in Los Angeles, the melting pot of Latin America outside the region. In Montreal, you might define it around smoked meat or bagels with the history of Jewish culture and food. Clam chowder in Boston, adjacent to the sea.

Yet what about Vancouver? A Reddit thread posed that exact question about Vancouver — what is the city’s signature dish?

Is a signature dish something that locals devour, or defined by temporary tourists? Is it native to the region, or a popular import? Does it have to be invented in the city, or does the city turn it into something greater, remixing and refining it? 

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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Sorry to my colleagues in Ottawa, but Ryan Reynolds called Vancouver his beautiful city, after he thanked the city for a great soccer match between his Wrexham team and the Whitecaps. [CTV]

• Be the most informed golf person in your friend group with Planet Golf, a free golf-only newsletter breaking down everything you need to know. Sign-up today. [Sponsored]

• There’s still lots of time to visit the Richmond Night Market, and our guide has you covered. [Vancity Lookout]

• I love milkshakes, so I’m happy to see ones like Triple O’s finally get the recognition it deserves. [Vancouver Sun]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

VANCOUVER GUESSER

Today’s Vancouver Guesser is a park. Can you name the park that’s just behind these trees? Reply with the correct answer to have your name included in the newsletter!