Downtown Eastside business owners asked if tent removals helped | CBC Vancouver 

This is really great reporting. Upfront and close on the ground with business owners and people on the street. Unfiltered and raw - I park at the same lot and walk this walk every morning and this is a very accurate portrayal of downtown east side. Thank you CBC Vancouver for bringing awareness to this very important issue for our city.

I appreciate how raw the telling of this story was.

the polite dealer and drunk guy were the best part of this segment foir a number of reasons

I live in the Lower Mainland but barely go to Downtown Vancouver anymore. Last week, I visited downtown after a long while and it was shocking. It was not just the Eastside anymore, the homelessness and drug use is now all over the place. I paid parking for the entire day, only to leave after an hour. I quickly shopped what I needed and left because I didn't feel safe anywhere in Downtown Vancouver. Places in the heart of downtown and around West Hastings used to be clean and walkable. Now, there is smell of urine and dirt everywhere, suspicious activity in the open where there used to be none, and construction sites limit access to many streets. Downtown Vancouver has become unwalkable.

Thank you for your interviews. In 1998 many countries came to a huge conference in Vancouver and basically every country said we were doing it wrong. What was recommended was low cost housing, counselling, drug treatment, hospitalization for those who are sick either physically or mentally. What Vancouver did was start up the needle exchange. Why?

3:33 "Kermit the Frog just got a hundred thousand dollars, man" OMG one could not WRITE this kind of dialog for an SNL skit.

Well down. You and your team have been doing a bang up job on reporting on the issues facing the DTES. Thank you.

Yes! Business owner here. It is helping, just a small start, but noticeably better. We have an all female staff, and as an owner I feel personally accountable for their safety. We have a door buzzer, and my husband - the only male - does feces and needle clean-up in our doorway and is the bouncer when needed. There is a Vinatown cleanup on June 10th, we'llbe there and everyone is welcome to join. Let's make our neighborhood safe and clean for everyone.

It is a vicious cycle. People work (but can't earn enough so they can live normally). Then they slip and despair and some try to escape in drugs or alcohol. Then once addicted - they can't get out. You give the safe supply and save lives but then what? Can you bring people out of the pit, get them drug free, give them decent job and let them live a normal life? Or - what is the goal? Do you have a plan what to do? One more thing - many thousands can be saved by avoiding the illicit drugs. Then what? Save 12000, few years down the road 24000 etc. If the number increases is this a success story? Unless the issues that bring people on the street - desperation, inability to live a normal life are addressed - they don't live - they just exist.

"Why are you still here?" Well, her lease holds her there, as well as the fact that she's probably sunk tens of thousands of dollars into the space, and it'd probably take her tens of thousands to build a new space, and after eight years, her rent will probably double in a new location, while she'll have to wait 6 months to a year to get city approval. What I'd like to know, and what no one seems to be asking, is how many of these people are in this city specifically because they wouldn't get the same level of support (or the same freedom to get drugs) in say, Regina...

Thank you for the wonderful piece. I think you covered it very well.

Great reporting! As a teacher, I always wonder what the childhood experiences of folks on the streets were. Yes, the government needs to address the immediate needs but we should to go right back to the beginning to better childcare, support for families, and educational supports for students who are at risk for substance abuse and other mental health issues.

Love the way this video is taken, by considering everyone's opinion. Way to go CBC

It amazes me the ignorance of some people. First, the stores featured pay $75 per square foot for rent, actually more than in some other places in Vancouver. Second, they have put in a lot of their own money to start those businesses and pay high taxes ( etc.) to maintain them. They are hard working people who don't get government handouts. Third, someone said something about disturbing the hornets nest, I didn't realize that speaking out about a situation that is destroying our city is taboo. If we don't acknowledge it we can't help anyone improve their situation. Fourth, someone said that the business owners should make changes in how they work. What kind of changes? They did make changes by locking the door during business hours and only letting in people they know. A business owner shouldn't be held hostage when they are just trying to make a living and employ others who also want to work and make their money the legal way, including paying taxes to support those who can't or won't work. The business owners aren't the ones bothering the homeless and drug addicted. They just want a safe, clean place to offer their services and be left alone.

The provincial government at the time that closed Riverview failed everyone who use to live there. All of the the governments since from the provincial and city level have failed everyone who lives and works in the downtown eastside/Chinatown. They've watch the area crumble and have done very little. Millions spent on free and "safer" drugs (which is laughable), but they never actually addressed the real problems of helping those with mental health issues and homelessness. And, the justice system appears to be a revolving door for those who commit crimes down there. Nothing will really change until the address the bigger issues.

@CBC I have lived at Seymour and Nelson now for almost 3 years and what I've witnessed while living directly next to Granville Street (and subsequently the ally next to it) is shocking to say the least. Aside from homeless/addicts breaking into our building each day to steal the amazon packages - In the warmer months, you will find TEENAGERS - YOUNG - 13-16 year old boys (sometimes girls!) From nicer parts of the city - in name brand clothing, nice backpacks and nice skateboards - huddled around each other on a blanket - slumped over and drooling, in and out of consciousness - 2-4 of them, in broad daylight and every single person just walks by them. These kids come downtown to get access to cheap and accessible drugs and find it by simply walking up to the corner of granville/nelson where there is at any given moment 2-5 different dealers all working together to deliver to the drug needs of the people visiting here - they do not discriminate against age - nor do they care about the youth in our city. I used to live just down the road at EXPO & CAMBIE - and it felt like a COMPLTELY different world living down there - You rarely saw a homeless person walking around, the streets are spotless - people are chipper and generally more polite and aren't afraid to make eye-contact - but up here? Nobody looks at each other - you don't trust anyone - you're constantly dodging people yelling at each other or smashing windows - every car for an entire block has its windows smashed and the glass of past car break ins clutter the street. On top of all of this, we have an extremely skilled group of "addicts" that have access to a "FIRE DEPARTMENT" access key that use it to access our buildings elevator and turn it off at night time, giving them access to our parking lot and the floors of our building - We pay $2600-3500 a month to live here and have no security and are CONSTANTLY in a battle for our safety in our building - The other night I walked up to my building and a homeless man was dumping gasoline into a planter and lit it ablaze, while I called the police - another casually dressed man walked into our building as residents held the door watching the blaze - this man proceeded to steal every package, literally IN FRONT of the FIREDEPARTMENT and walked away unscathed. I DON'T Know what the answer is - but I can't see it getting better before it gets a WHOLE LOT WORSE!

I’d like to see the dots connected more explicitly between housing crisis , inadequate income & social supports combined with subsequent provincial governments abandoning their responsibility for health care. This state of affairs affects everyone. One thing we have never seen is community provided the explicit power & adequate resources to implement solutions on their own. We will never get out of this cul-de-sac by government only ever providing half a loaf

I agree with the gentrification part, I'm literally at risk again to become homeless due to rent increases

So I'm an American and I find this situation interesting. We obviously have a lot of issues of mental health, drug use, and homelessness here but a lot of progressives say it's due to the lack of a social safety net and affordable housing. Yet when I look at Canada, a country with a stronger welfare system than ours, it seems like a lot of the same problems exist. What makes Canada different from the UK or France? I think it's institutionalization. Countries like Denmark, Norway, Japan, and Taiwan have some of the highest mental health institutionalization rates in the world. Canada, like the US, needs to rebuild their mental health and insane asylums to rehouse these people, but also have oversight, rules, and cameras to prevent abuse from happening. It would be humane and clear the streets of people who are a danger to themselves and others.

i enjoyed this interview and you showed each side of people on these streets and treated both of them with respect, thank you for being a true journalist

Maybe address poverty and the high cost of living. Addiction is an issue but where are they to go? Mentally ill people being left on the streets...it's an issue all over the country and in the states too. Poverty needs to be addressed. People can't live and they are pushed. Mentally ill have no place to be cared for.

I agree Mental Health has to be the number one priority! Things won’t change unless some REAL solutions are mandated. Canada should start to implement ideas that work from other parts of the world. Check out Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden, even some Asian cities have implemented better ways of dealing with people, without impeding on their personal freedoms.

Great work! Congratulations to this journalist! The type of reporting I expect from CBC/RC.

Housing.Housing.Housing A city in a modern society cannot function if its citizens cannot afford to live there.

Add business addresses in lower thirds so viewers have a geographic reference and can choose to support businesses.

At Riverview, there's ample land for tiny homes.

This is really great reporting.

The DTES is literally a city of the walking dead it's so sad how far we can let people fall before we even notice there's a problem. Build affordable hosing in the 1000's of units, make out patient mental health care free for the poor, and go back to prosecuting criminals. JFC solving the problem isn't that hard just expensive. I've lived in Vancouver for 23 years and watched it's almost utter collapse as a relatively affordable, beautiful, and safe city.

Convert abandoned shipping containers. Cheap, plentiful, fire and water-proof, easily transported to any prepared land with water, gas and electricity embedded. Eight posts and a crane @ one small plot build/day. Sole parents first, then the elderly. Install a dedicated creche, and a care centre, and a market. Create a community. Seed the streets with fruit trees and vegetable patches for each yard - all free. This is a no-brainer. Think outside the box. How many abandoned shipping containers are there on the wharves? 100s of thousands. Confiscate them! Sack current management and make something happen. NOW !!!

What's frustrating is everyone knows what needs to be done but our government is so inefficient and disconnected it just doesn't get done. Mentally ill people need to be taken care of by society. It doesn't matter that they don't work and contribute to society they should not be on the streets. It's weird how we would never allow a dog to live homeless on the streets but it's apparently okay for disabled humans? This is unacceptable that this is still a problem in todays age in this city.

Why do people, especially in large cities say "it use to be save, we never locked the doors, the doors were always open". What a lie. Ive never been to a place there people leave their doors unlocked.

there won't be any consequence until there is minimum sentencing for repeating violent offenders

Well I live in Victoria the provincial capital and I noticed the popular 7/11 closed today. It's only 3 blocks from the police station too but I guess they can't be bothered to drive by and let their presence be known to deter crime here either. Useless.

The main issue is there isn't any consequence for wrong doing. These people can just walk away without any consequence. They got nothing to lose.

When police or the government are not doing their jobs, reporters need to step up. 👍 Why are the drugs everywhere, must be some corruption going on. The problem is that our kids starts to use them in high school, like grade 9 that's insane while the community around the school actually is a good one. It is not just a problem in downtown east side. The old days, kids got punished for smoking in the school's washrooms, now drug overdose.

This neighbourhood is the worst it’s ever been and I’ve lived here for 20 years. Never had a problem really ever before and the past couple years have had physical altercations and a weapon pulled on me when I was just trying to work.

It gets harder and harder to live a normal life in Vancouver. You have to avoid this and that , and you need to know your environment and where to walk.

It really pisses me off to think that we euthanize stray dogs. Never seen a stray dog act like this

W.E.F. is very pleased with Canada's spiralling decay.

It would have been cheaper to keep Riverview open than the millions poured into the DTES with no results. As a matter of fact, it has gotten worse and continues to do so. So the argument that Riverview closed because it was too expensive doesn't really make any sense.

This is getting way out of hand, what about our rights and safety as citizens. How is this allowed and continued with complete disregard to us as Citizens. It's time to enact measures to immediately address this massive safety issue in many communities.This is not cohesive or safe to us as citizens, and will only continue to get worse!!! Multi- tiered issue, however safety needs to immediately be addressed, instead of going back and forth on how to address the drug epidemic, your not going to solve the drug epidemic in one way, but start with our safety, while looking for possible solutions for the drug epidemic, which is incredibly sad. Like people with addictions have rights, we also have rights as citizens to live and work in a safe community. Multi-tiered levels of government need to address our now safety concerns which are, gravely impacting our personal and professional lives.

Good old cbc, always with that "compassionate" angle. Bring back the tents, help the criminals, no one is accountable for their actions. How about forced cold turkey, how about putting them in jail, how about cleaning the streets.

Currently in Winnipeg and there are homeless but most are addicted to alcohol, not hard drugs. I havent seen a single 'hunched over' drug addict here once. There is a big difference walking in the streets. I m alot more scared in Vancouver...such a sad situation.

That's why I left. Took my whole family with me to Nova Scotia

Shes a great journalist who really seeks the truth, refreshing. These business owners should be able to stop paying all business related taxes until the environment is made safe and viable

As much as I despise CBC this was a decent piece. Reporters need to do more of this.

I found this to be exceptionally well done. Balanced. Restful. Honest. Direct. Informative. This is a world so few of us will experience up close and personally…thank God…it is tragic, worst nightmare level terrifying, insane and it does shatter your heart, when the person you love beyond words, succumbs to their drug of choice. It is no wonder those who struggle the most to fit into Society’s Rules and Expectations, Self Medicate. It is a downward spiral, to their inevitably death from their Drug of Choice. I had this world thrust down upon me, from such an opposite world. If a person gets to the point where their Drug owns them, they turn to crime and prostitution. Very few who get to this point will ever get out of this vicious cycle. Far more innovative, extended treatment length, sober living communities, and teaching job skills, Trades and Life Skills.

She’s such a great reporter!

Fantastic reporting. Well done Lien Yeung!

Once upon a time, prevention and treatment was a thing. Now you barely hear of it as being a solution to BC's drug problem. The Rand Corporation and others have done many studies on what ways work best for addressing illegal drugs. The studies just looked at effectiveness; i.e., the least the cost, the higher the effectiveness. With respect to cocaine, turns out that the most effective by far was prevention and treatment. The second most effective was criminalization. The third most effective was increasing border controls, and the least effective was chemical warfare, or fumigation of crops. If we look at current funding, it follows the opposite ranking. Most funding goes to the worst solution, and practically none goes to the best.

Thanks for doing these series

OMG I went to this nail salon in 2018 and sit the spot where the lady was! I didn’t expect this issue increased dramatically 😢

Great Reporting

Imagine being on a cruise ship and looking forward to seeing Vancouver for the first time and stepping off the ship with your kids into that mess!

Please do not stop making these videos

put criminals in jail. take away their hard drugs. give them training and counselling. and then when they pass those phases, give them a small home (they need to maintain employment).

Great reporter

Every human needs food, a safe place to sleep, a way to clean themselves and love. Only when these basic needs are met can they think about improving their situation.

Ludicrous. Every generation reinventing the wheel? I remember a very similar Vancouver during a horrific stretch of heroin wayyy back in the late 1900's. Wild stuff, eh? And, another generation of well meaning and reasonable people asking the branches of society that "handle" taxes, healthcare and community safety to do something. But, tale as old as time, the disenfranchised are not a priority; poor and sick people don't make money but cost money. Vancouver is a big money generator based on a brand, right? This issue is a human issue. This is a global issue. How to reconcile our infrastructure, as a society, with the value we put on citizens. Well, can't do that cause it makes folks uncomfortable. It is not the responsibility of other citizens to rearrange an antiquated and cruel society. You are hired or elected to roll up your sleeves and do the dirty work. Do your job. Or, hire/elect someone with some semblance of humanity and vision cause there will always be folks who can't "weather the storm".

Dr. Kendall said that we should implement a "regulated supply" 7:56 Is that the government providing these drugs for people?

One of the worst parts is the area had gotten so bad yet so tolerated that people intentionally moved here to set up camps.

Vancouver deserves it. They became the role model for the bs going on in the rest of the country.

As a long time Vancouverite, that was some fantastic reporting.

I'd like to personally thank the dealers who don't care or cut their product so they can increase income instead of helping individuals with there unique challenges. Support the ill and hold the drug dealers accountable.

You can't stop the dope unless you stop the dope man

These people need mandatory treatments for drugs and mental health aids. It’s ridiculous mental health is not part of the public health care. It would save the government much money to heal troubles from early on.

Finally an interview with the lifeblood of the community, local business owners. The families of addicts learned long ago that tough love is the only option. In comes government to give them a soft landing, and encourage them to congregate together so they can continue to walk that unacceptable pathway. Get out of the business of enabling. It will never work, it often makes things worse.

I watched many Hong Kong movies. Most of the Hong Kong movie stars praised Canada to the skies as paradise. But Now this is not paradise.

Courtenay BC has started to have this problem too..

We need more social housing to house the homeless!

Put those that want help into a better path with the help they need. The others that are pretty much lost need to be either locked up or in the hospital. Why don't we have asylums no more? You know, where the mentally ill go to reside and out of sigh from the public and for public safety as a whole. Not everyone wants to be saved or can be saved so they must be dealt with.

This is good. Getting the opinion of the business owners and the owners are showing compassion towards the people who are struggling. Everyone just wants things to be taken care of.

Yah I remember when you didn't need to lock your doors in the dtes. It was back in the year never

Great piece on DTES. The government really needs to support the small businesses and to crack down on the criminal element. Repeat offenders need to be in mental institutions or jail. Keep it up Lien Yeung! Awesome work.

Agreed- great reporting. Very grateful for the story.

It's starting to happen in my city too. Before, I felt safe even if I walked alone at night (as a woman) in downtown. The past couple years, I would think twice going to downtown even in the daylight. It's all the same reasons and causes, mental health and crime. But of course, it's the government that lacks action.

Our problem! Exactly!

Wow 🇨🇦

Average income vs high cost of living just doesn't match. I have a regulat job making $52k gross annual income. I live in a old aparment in low income neighbourhood (only place i can afford). I paid $1500/month rent but only because I've been living in this aparment for 10 years. New tenants living in one bedroom rennovated unit pays $2200-$2500. Even with my situation, more than half of my salary goes to rent. Meaning I only have $1000 to pay for my other bills, food and credit cards incrurred during the pandemic. I live a modest lifestyle, so imaging if you don't have a stable and sutainable job like me. I dunno if the government choose to ignore that facts.

places in the dtes like the Ovaltine are so special...i hope that always stays the same

We must remember that the drug users and addicts are human beings and entitled to the basic human rights that everyone has. However, actions have consequences and being under the influence does not excuse you from the responsibility of your actions. It may not be their fault in terms of intentionality, but the only person to blame for the crime is the person who did the crime. The consequence needs to be severe enough to be a deterrent.

Great reporting & thank you for covering this.

Horrible all the crime we're victims to from these drug users... Worse that the police don't enforce the law. LOCK THEM UP!

👏 Bang on piece, Lien! 👏 I am one of the homeless here in Edmonton. Where it went wrong? It was too ignored for too long and now is outta control everywhere. Closing the barn door after all the horses have left, so to say. 2023 Approach for a 2023 Problem... Our Premier Smith and police, etc, are working on "The Alberta Model" and I suspect it is going expand the "insanity law" to include drug addicts - if you are a harm to yourself or others - you can 'forced' into involuntary rehab. See, most kids are scared to go, but know they have, and want, to. You might get only mild resistance. With/by using Cognitive Behavior Therapy as a strong part of rehab for Complex(Childhood) PTSD, I have personally seen the 'lights go on' in their eyes...their smiles and determination returns, and most leave the community for a better life. CV plus previous childhood trauma + financial difficulties sent a lot of people down here. We have to stop having, "systemic prejudism against homeless people", stop painting ALL of them with the same 'pint brush' and divide to conquer a problem. We homeless people are so tired of all the 'talk-about, talk-about', each of these U of Whichever University's graduates NOT asking US what works and what is a waste of taxpayers dollars, and OUR time! Thanks.

"Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue; the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form Come in, she said I'll give ya' shelter from the storm I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn Come in, she said I'll give ya' shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan

Drug useage across the country has and is continuing to increase. We see it even in small towns as most now have homeless populations. Providing safe drugs has had limited success. More emphasis is needed on rehabilitation and educating those in need how to get a job and keep it. Tough love possibly. If this continues those businesses will fail.

This isn't unique to Vancouver. I have yet to hear of a city that has a handle on it.

Vancouver supplies 1 /3 of organ transplants now. Why doesn't any one mention where the organs come from. Fentynal overdoses. A friend works matching organs to patients told me there aren't the wait times there used to be. I can't help but wonder if that if there is an incentive to keep the o.d.s happening

Japan had measurable success by cracking down very hard on drugs. There are still homeless people, but much less of them

Enjoyed your presentation. It brings a very valid question to the east side. However, it is no longer the East side that is being destroyed it is the downtown center and its surrounding areas. The government of Canada let us down by their horrific lax of drug laws and allowing the situation to get out of hand. I have been doing out reach in the Hastings area for over 8 years...ant having a huge police station in the heart of it and nothing was being done is a crime in its self. I would see openly dugs dealers selling in front of police and they did nothing. Drugs are the largest killers of our people than anything else, and because of the legalization of drugs it is getting worse. My solution would be to build a complex far from the city center that would house and detransition the individuals from druggie to clean productive members through a multi disciplinary program. Offering counseling, jobs in the facility, animals to increase their positivity like horses and other. Get them working and learning skills. The products they .are can be sold to help pay for the facility. Moreover, Christian studies would also be introduced...all of this with rehab treatment. Hiw can domeobe get off if drugs if they have no game, nothing to keep them bust, nothing to have faith in and no hope for the future. The facility would be very remote so they are away from the tantalizing lifestyle. This would be a long term facility..maybe for 1 to 2 years depending. All of the money the government waists..could easily pay for the Co structure of such a place. Nothing will change unless the government leads...so far they have done a very poor job in creating a viable solution. Thanks again for the presentation. You should investigate and follow up with the government and police. See what they say about it. Statistics are clear on the issue and a very good visualization is apparent

This is the fault of the government so maybe we should fix the top first since fixing the bottom will mean nothing until this gets done first!

After fentanyl it dropped. After Neuro toxicicity in the accommodations (mold asbestos giardia and VOC's) increased dramatically with the last great rain a fears yeas ago, and people are getting 'sick' in their rooms).

This is OUR problem. Well said.

Why aren't the police out there moving ppl asking, doing crowd control? They don't need to be arrested just keep ppl moving.

LAST 8 year of Justin T is worse year in Canada . HOME CRISIS is big issue .

One word - Riverview.

exactly, population keeps going up and housing/community service institutes keep going down. army and navy moving out was a big loss...

The true crime was the dealers haircut

The reporter is adorable!

Way to go CBC. You finally got to this story years after conservatives were covering the problem.