Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

What’s it need and what’s it got?

The poorest postal code in Canada

HousingMany of the residents of the Downtown Eastside live in what are called SRO’s (Single Room Occupancy Hotels) They are often of substandard quality and have problems with crime, rodent and insect infestation, limited privacy and they cost the exact amount of income assistance shelter allowance.

HomelessnessIt is difficult to ascertain the numbers of

homeless persons living in the downtown east side of Vancouver. It is estimated at over 1500 in 2011. These individuals live outdoors or move from shelter to shelter with no permanent address

It is easy to view this world from a glass half empty perspective. A walk through it is something that feels intimidating with so much poverty and a sense of despair all around. The people that I spoke to that work at the various agencies though are passionate about their work there. Many who come to find themselves working in the DTES never leave. They find the glass half empty perspective moving quickly to another one, filled with hope and strength, resilience and power to change.

MAP van that travels a route around the city overnight, making sure sex trade workers are safe

Insite Safe Injection Site, Downtown Vancouver

Soul Food Community Garden, DTES

MediaThere is extensive press about the downtown east

side, stories highlighting this year include the Missing Women’s Enquiry that details the Vancouver Police Departments handling of the dozens of women reported missing, many of them aboriginal and many sex trade workers, court actions relating to the Safe Injection Site that permits on site injection of illegal substances, as well as the shelters called ‘no barrier’ that allow individuals to attend with shopping carts of belongings, while intoxicated, or with pets.

Housing Programs

Restorative Justice &

Community Courts

Food Security Programs and

Community Gardens

Public Health Programs including

Street Nurses

Mental Health Support Programs

Faith Based Programs

Business Improvement Associations

Community Police

Missing Women’s Task Force

WISH Drop In Centre for Survival Sex Trade

Workers

Addiction Recovery/Detox/Treat

ment Programs

Income Assistance24 hour no

barrier shelters

Community Centers

Cultural Organizations

Individual CapacitiesResiliency

Social Service Programs

Addiction support programs for pregnant

women

Downtown Eastside (Vancouver) Assets Map

Needle Exchange/Safe Injection Site

Under community control

Controlled outside community

Potential Building Blocks

Drop InsMany of the drop in’s are very welcoming

with walls of brochures on entrance and receptionists or greeters there to provide information and introduction to the services therein. There are a number of community centres that welcome all, as well as specific programs that provide religious support, food, clothing, shelter advise, addiction support, educational assistance or simply a place to “be”. One such place is Carnegie Centre, often referred to as the living room of the downtown east side.

Carnegie Centrehttp://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/carnegiecentre/

This community centre type building in the centre of the Downtown East Side provides an educational program, food, social activities and a gym as well as many other things to do for residents.

WISH The WISH drop in

centre for Survival Sex Trade Workers is another example of programs for residents of the area. It offers dinner served 365 days a year, a make up room, help with locating shelter, on site nurse, showers, bad date board

http://www.wish-vancouver.net/

The Downtown East Side of Vancouver is the area highlighted on this map, a vibrant neighbourhood in an urban centre.