What’s with the recent drug crackdown in Vancouver?

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Good morning,

Sometimes, the choice of a word can really matter. Case in point — a court case between the Crown and a man who they alleged didn’t remove the snow in front of his unit, which they said, according to Vancouver’s bylaws, must be done, or you receive a fine. 

The issue in question came down to the bylaw that said “remove” rather than requiring someone to clear all the snow. Removing doesn’t mean getting rid of it all. The Crown lost and the man didn’t have to pay a fine.

Hopefully, we’ll be more careful with our words in today’s newsletter. But knowing many of you, I can probably expect at least a few comments on my grammar (which I appreciate)!

Today we break down the recent high profile crackdowns and what they could mean for the city, along with some events to check out this week. 

Let’s go!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout writer

HEALTH

What’s with the drug crackdown?

The “war on drugs” continues here in Vancouver, after two recent high-profile police actions. So what does it mean for users and for the city?

What happened: On Oct. 25, two people who ran the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) were arrested by police for allegedly trafficking in illegal substances. The organization provides tested drugs to people, selling a total of three kilograms a week at-cost, to addicts so they can access safe supply, according to CBC. About 400 people rallied in the Downtown Eastside on Friday to protest the arrests. 

• So far neither of the two people arrested have been criminally charged. 

Meanwhile, actual storefronts selling ostensibly illegal drugs — magic mushrooms — faced a crackdown as well, as police raided three different stores, seizing their supply of mushrooms, cocoa leafs and other products, according to the Vancouver Sun.

• The stores were all owned by Dana Larsen, a well-known drug activist who was a key person leading the charge in Vancouver to legalize marijuana with storefronts throughout the city before the drug was legalized. Larsen said the stores are re-opening, according to CBC. He has not been charged with anything, though police could still lay charges. 

One thing: Larsen pointed out that the city granted his stores business licenses, and they could, if they desired, take them away. 

Zoom out: Magic mushrooms are following a similar trend to that of marijuana back before it was legalized. Illegal weed stores were found throughout the city, with more than 100 in operation, according to Urbanized. Now we may be seeing a similar approach, as many people anticipate the eventual legalization of the substance. 

Moving backwards?: Well-known podcast host Garth Mullins who runs a show called Crackdown, which looks at the drug war from the perspective of drug users, noted he feels that the environment around harm reduction and safe supply is “getting increasingly hostile over the years,” according to CBC. 

What it all means: While both issues are different, they illustrate the fine line between something being illegal and what police choose to address. DULF and the mushroom stores have operated for a while, with little indication they would face problems. For magic mushrooms, it certainly feels like a similar period in Vancouver when marijuana was not legal, but still widely available.

• Police have the discretion to device what to prosecute, according to Global, which may explain why they haven’t pursued action, given the little impact on the broader community. Plus, we all know how little they cared about it over at Wreck Beach…

What happens next: The province rejected calls to expand the limited availability of safe supply (a main reason why groups like DULF exist). Expect this issue to continue to be in the news as experts call for expanded safe supply and the province says no.

As for mushrooms, with both Oregon and Washington having legalized them, and a greater push to expand access to deal with depression, anxiety and PTSD, according to Vox, momentum is likely to continue to build for further legalization.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

🏨 0: Well not exactly zero, but there are likely to be almost this many hotel rooms available during Taylor Swift’s shows in Vancouver. Fans are already saying many hotels are booked up that weekend. [CBC]

🪧 300: Approximately the number of unionized technicians who will be locked out by Rogers today. Contract discussions between both groups have hit a standstill after the union was in a strike position on Monday. The union says Rogers wants to contract out more jobs. [CBC].

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HEALTH

Find your new dream job in Vancouver:

1. Director of marketing at Maximizer

2. Director, lacrosse ticket and partnership sales at The Canucks

3. Manager, brand communications at Arc’teryx Equipment

4. VIP relations manager at Plenty of Fish

5. Managing editor of daily news at CBC

THE AGENDA

👮 A high-risk sex offender, Randall Hopley, did not turn up at his halfway house and is now reported missing. He was set to appear in court on Monday. Vancouver police are asking for help to find him. [CBC]

✈️ Some flights were delayed at YVR after an ash cloud made its way into the area from a Russian volcano eruption. [Daily Hive]

🚗 A video recording showed a man driving his car through a pro-Palestinian protest. Police are investigating the event. [CBC]

👍 It appears that Metro Vancouver regional workers have a tentative deal, after workers initiated job action in October. The workers include those who work in water treatment, regional parks and more, with over 670 workers. Workers will still need to ratify the agreement. [CityNews]

🗺️ I cannot stress this enough but do not rely on Google Maps for hiking. North Shore Rescue also wants to emphasize this, after a hiker was trapped near Mount Fromme. That’s the third person in the last week. I suggest downloading All Trails or Gaia. [CTV]

EVENTS

Quail’s Gate Winery Dinner | Provence Marinaside | Tomorrow, 6 pm | Five-course menu of French dishes matched with wine | Tickets $200

Leaderboard Coffee Cupping - Public Coffee Tasting | Elysian Coffee Roasters | Nov. 11, 12pm | Taste a wide variety of coffees from different regions | Tickets $15

Paris Bistro Classics | Second Floor Bistro | Nov, 11, 6 pm | Enjoy a four-course menu with local ingredients focused on French food | Tickets $134

GALERIE Launch Party | Nov. 15, 5 pm-7 pm Art, wine and music, with conversation with local artists | Tickets $38

Vintage Pop-up Vintage Show | 703 Terminal Ave | Nov. 12 | Records, vinyl, antiques, come get em all! | Tickets $6

Elf: The Musical | Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage | Nov. 2-Dec. 31 | Come see Elf like you’ve never seen it before, as an on-stage musical | Starting at $46

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival | Rio Theatre | Nov. 14-19 | Come see 25 of the best mountain films this year | Tickets $23

Eastside Culture Crawl | All throughout East Vancouver | Nov. 16-19, various times | One of the best art events of the year, come check out the studios of artists throughout East Vancouver | Free

SPORTS

🏒 When was the last time it felt this good to be a Canucks fan? The team won 2-0 against Dallas, and are now 8-2-1 for the season. Goalie Thatcher Demko got his second shutout of the year. [Sportsnet]

🏒 So why is the team doing so well? One reason is Rick Tocchet’s coaching style, which emphasizes keeping players on a short leash depending on their performance. [The Province]

SURVEY

Last week we asked readers what they thought about council voting to not develop Vancouver’s public golf courses. Here are the responses:

And here’s what you said:

“I think it's a bit ridiculous to target the golf courses when the vast majority of Vancouver is still single-family detached houses and sprawling suburbs. Let's replace those houses to build more housing, not remove great recreational space.”

“I am concerned about dwindling green space and the increasing pressures on the remaining green space as the city becomes denser and living spaces become smaller. Golf courses are terrible by many ecology measures - it would be ideal if they could be converted to green recreational spaces that are more in tune with biodiversity in a temperate rainforest. But once we lose green space, we lose it. So if the choice is to keep the golf course or build on it, I choose to keep the golf course and adopt other strategies to increase affordable housing.”

“As pointed out in the article once it's gone it's gone and when will it stop. We need outdoor space for our own sanity and health.”

“It's not necessary to pave this over and put in a corporate money suck to have space for more non-market housing. The bio-diversity argument for a golf course is somewhat laughable. We have a lot of parks in this city that are nothing more than glorified lawns. If we want biodiversity, improving our green spaces by adding and maintaining trees, shrubs & flowers and wild spaces would be a good place to start. Golf balls and putting greens don't cut it.”

GOOD NEWS

Slow down and enjoy nature

Start your Monday off with some good news: 

A man managed to befriend a crow in Vancouver with a limp. The crow follows him around on his walks after he spent time feeding it. He calls the bird Fabian, and he says the bird has taught him to slow down and notice the wildlife around him, saying “It’s easy to mentally separate ourselves from animals, but I don’t believe we’re that different. Both of us have a place on this planet.” [Vancouver Sun]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• If you love public transit, you’ll love this site showcasing all the TransLink buses. [Bus Train Ferry] 

• ☔ 73% of drivers and delivery people on Uber report that flexible app-based work helped them find the extra income when they needed it the most.*

• DJ Felix Cartal hosted a live DJ party on a SkyTrain. And the transit operator was surprisingly fine with the event… [CityNews]

• Turns out Harry Styles is just like the rest of us. He was spotted with a box of Honey Doughnuts this weekend in Deep Cove. [Daily Hive]

• Once again there will be no fireworks during New Year’s Eve in Vancouver. [CBC]

• Congrats to the team at Folke which was named the Best New Restaurant by EnRoute Magazine. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Speaking of good taste, Will Ferrell stopped by Mott 23, which was named the Best Fine Dining Restaurant this year. [Dished]

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Halloween may be over, but that’s a really spooky photo at the CBC TV transmitter at Mount Seymour. 

GAME TIME

Congrats to everyone who guessed this week’s Vancouver Wordle. The answer was SINGLE, as in single-family homes.

Today’s newsletter quiz question — approximately how many marijuana shops were operating in Vancouver before it was legalized? Reply with your answer and your name to be included in the newsletter.