Why are there still questions about a $5 million increase to the Vancouver police’s budget

Good morning,

I have about five books on the go right now. My evening book I use to fall asleep, my aspirational book I read to learn, my fiction book I read for fun, and a few others thrown in for good measure.

I’ve enjoyed getting back into reading this year, but I do worry my ability to concentrate has been destroyed by social media. I’ve noticed reading is like a muscle, you have to exercise it often or it atrophies.

It’s honestly one reason I like what we’re doing with the Lookout. Sure you’ve got your quick bits of news, but we also mix it up with longer stuff. So in a way, reading the Lookout is sometimes like exercising your brain? Right? (I’m still workshopping that idea).

Like the best exercise, it’s about mixing it up. And that’s what we’ve got with today’s stories.

Let’s dive in!

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

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

WEATHER

Monday: 19 🌡️ 13 | 🌧️

Tuesday: 21 🌡️ 13 | ☁️

Wednesday: 18 🌡️ 12 | 🌧️

CITY HALL

Why are there still questions about a $5 million increase to the Vancouver police’s budget

What happened: Questions continue to swirl around how $5 million was approved for an operation to improve public safety in the Downtown Eastside, after the chair of the police board said he had no idea when the money was approved. Now, Green party city councillor Pete Fry says he’s filed a freedom of information request to get more information, according to CBC. 

Background: In February, Mayor Ken Sim and Vancouver Police Department Chief Adam Palmer announced $5 million at a press conference to tackle crime in the Downtown Eastside. It put additional officers in the community, as well as resources for clearing sidewalks and reducing weapons in the area, according to CBC. That’s on top of the police’s budget of $453 million in 2025. 

The problem: The Vancouver Police Board approves the police budget on an annual basis, and any changes must be submitted before March 1. Board members would then adjust the amount. But so far, no paper trail of this exists for this budget allocation.  

The reasoning: The mayor’s explanation for why the board hadn’t approved the budget has been quite vague. He told CBC it was a process issue. 

• “The VPD, they deal with their operational issues, and as a board, the VPD board, they basically review stuff and sometimes when there's communication challenges or whatever, you reassess and you improve them… We’re in a constant process,” said Sim. 

Controversy: In March, a whistleblower submitted a complaint to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner that management within the police had set arrest quotas for teams working in the Downtown Eastside. The Vancouver Police Board responded last week with a formal report outlining that the staff sergeant mentioned in the complaint was talking about performance measures, not a quote, according to CityNews. Assistant Supt. Matthew Harty called it “aspirational goals.” 

The police say the program is working, with a decline of 13 per cent in violent crime in the Downtown Eastside and Gastown, and 26 per cent in Strathcona, according to the Vancouver Sun. While the police also touted 414 arrest warrants and 79 gun seizures, they did not say how many resulted in convictions. 

• The executive director of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association said that while they are pleased with the results of the operation, the chronic systems-level challenges are still a problem. 

Yes, but: Yet it’s also worth mentioning that according to the police’s own data, violent crime across Vancouver, not just in those targeted areas, is at a 20-year low for the first three months of the year. Property crime in East Vancouver, which encompasses the Downtown Eastside, is up by 1.8 per cent compared to last year, while overall property crime across the city is down four per cent.

Why it matters: Money has to come from somewhere. Processes and procedures are important. There is of course a discussion to be had about whether processes get in the way of accomplishing things. But that’s beside the point. The mayor’s response has not been overly clear, as you can see from the quote above. 

THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

21

Even typing this out hurts my legs… This is the number of times that a Kelowna man climbed the Grouse Grind as part of the Grouse Grind Challenge, between 4 am and 10 pm on Friday. The event raises money for the North Shore Rescue. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🏫 Parents at Vancouver’s Crosstown Elementary, which borders Andy Livingstone Park next to the Downtown Eastside, are calling for better safety measures. Police say that while calls for service in that area were around 42 this year, the majority were for low-level crimes like suspicious people. Parents have asked for a fence to separate the school from the park. [CBC]

📊 Raise property taxes or cut service levels? With Mayor Ken Sim‘s motion asking staff to look at ways to keep property taxes at 3.5 per cent or below next year, rather than 6-7 per cent that staff had called for, there will likely be cuts to city services. City staff are still looking at how to accomplish this, though things like a freeze on non-essential hiring have begun. [Vancouver Sun]

🚌 With the provincial government reviewing the HandyDART service agreement that around 30,000 people rely on, advocates are calling for the province to bring it under provincial control rather than keep the current privatized model. The BC NDP had promised in the last election to bring it under government control. [CityNews]

🏢 As part of the city’s plan to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030, tougher emission rules are coming in for commercial buildings next year, which businesses say will increase costs. The city says around 84 per cent of buildings will be in compliance, and financial penalties only start in 2027. [CTV]

🎭️ In some sad news, Pacific Theatre announced that their theatre in the Chalmers Heritage Building will be closing, and programming will be paused until December, due to the building requiring massive upgrades and remediation. Lately, restrictions on performances have limited their ability to generate revenue from shows. 

🤖 Maybe AI hasn’t come for your job (I can promise it won’t be coming for any journalism jobs here at the Lookout), but it has hit a Vancouver company. Klue Labs based in Vancouver, is planning to lay off 50 per cent of its workforce as AI impacts the number of jobs it needs. [Globe and Mail]

🏗️ Do you think Canada can build another 4.8 million homes? That’s what Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp says is needed to restore home affordability to 2019 levels. How off that target are we? Between 430,000 to 480,000 new homes are needed each year by 2035, while only 245,000 have been built on average over the last 10 years. Vancouver needs an additional 7,200, or a 29 per cent increase, above the normal average. [Canadian Press]

⚽️ Vancouver Rise FC tied with the Montreal Roses FC on Sunday. Unfortunately, the Vancouver squad has had no wins in their last four games, and are now at 3-4-3, with their last win on May 21. [CTV] 

🏈 The BC Lions lost 27-14 on Saturday against the Blue Bombers. The team is 1-2 to start the season, sitting at fourth place in the West Division, though the season is still early!

🏒 And in the last sports story of the day, the Abbotsford Canucks managed to get game five of the Calder Cup into overtime, but lost to the Charlotte Checkers 4-3. Luckily, the Canucls have two more opportunities to win the trophy, as they’re up 3-2 on Charlotte. 

EVENT GUIDE

Make Friends in Vancouver | The London Pub, 633 Main St, Vancouver | Jun. 25 at 7:30 pm | Language exchange, socializing, community connection event | Free

Hot Jazz | Bill Curtis Square, 297 Davie St, Vancouver | Jun. 25 at 5:30 pm | Free jazz and dance lessons in Yaletown | Free

Theatre Under the Stars | Stanley Park's Malkin Bowl | June 27 to August 16, 2025 | Theatre Under the Stars presents its 2025 season of sweet dreams and big schemes with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Legally Blonde | Tickets from $35

Eco-Art Fest | Douglas Fir Teaching Garden (Champlain Heights) | June 28, 10 am–2 pm | More info

Eastside Community Pride BBQ and Picnic | Grandview Park, 1657 Charles St, Vancouver | Jun. 28 at 11 am | Community BBQ with veggie dogs, drinks and music | $5 donation

Jann Arden – The Mixtape Tour | The Centre for Performing Arts, Vancouver | Jun. 28 at 8 pm | Pop legend Jann Arden live in concert | Tickets $65

Queer Arts Festival | Various venues | Now until June 28 | Community art show, drag, concerts and more | Tickets various prices

Cowboy Bebop Bebop Band | 1531 Johnston St. | July 1, 8:15 pm | Live jazz inspired by Cowboy Bebop soundtrack | Free

Greek Summer Fest on Boundary 2025 | 4541 Boundary Rd. | July 3–6 & July 10–13, 11 am | Greek food, music and dancing all day | Free

LindyBloom 2025 | Russian Hall, Vancouver | Jul. 4–6 at 7 pm | Dance weekend with workshops, socials and live music | Tickets $205+

Khatsahlano Street Party 2025 | Khatsahlano! Music + Art Festival, Vancouver | Jul. 5 at 11 am | Summer street party with music, art and vendors | Free

Vancouver Craft Beer and Wing Fest | 2901 E Hastings St. | July 12, 12 pm | 150+ breweries, food, cider and wine garden | Tickets $60+

Punchbowl Festival | PNE – Pacific National Exhibition | July 26, 12 pm | Summer drinks, live music, and tacos | Tickets $31

Pleasant Day Festival | Mount Pleasant | Aug. 9, 12 pm | Live music, patios, beer gardens, food trucks | Free

Want to see your event here? You can purchase them through our self-service portal here.

Discover your new dream job in Vancouver:

• Director, athletics and recreation, Capilano University

• General manager, West Vancouver Yacht Club

• Service management, Cactus Club Cafe

• Content marketing specialist, Ro

• Senior relationship manager, TD

GOOD NEWS MONDAY

In what truly is a great idea, a Vancouver company is tackling the problem of single-use containers. Resusables provides businesses with containers that customers return after they’re done. It’s sort of like a bottle deposit, but instead of a small amount, customers are charged $5-$10 if they don’t return them to a special bin. Universities have been quick to adopt them. One organization said it’s saving them between 8,000-10,000 paper cups, plastic lids and takeout containers per month. [CBC]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Good news for anyone who uses Slocan Park in East Vancouver. Next year, it’s getting a new accessible playground, skateboard park and multi-sport court. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• The Google Doodle for National Indigenous Peoples Day was created by Vancouver-based Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza. [CTV]

• Davie Street from Burrard to Jervis will be turned out into a celebration area during Vancouver Pride! [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Famous F-1 driver Lewis Hamilton was running the Seawall recently 

• Does Richmond Night Market have any good, cheap food this year? Here’s what one person ate as part of the $10 discount menu items offered by vendors. [VanMag]

VANCOUVER NEWS QUIZ

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Those of you who follow this newsletter closely know I’m a sucker for a moody nigh time photo. This one above, and the others, are no exception. Beautiful!

STORIES THIS WEEK