A petition calling for a 'safer Vancouver' has been launched by a group of concerned residents in the Yaletown area.
A group called Safer Vancouver has launched a Change.org campaign. Entitled "A Safer Vancouver," the campaign states that the city has seen a dramatic increase in, "illegal open drug use, discarded dirty needles, encampments in community parks and public spaces, increased break-ins and theft, violent and aggressive behaviour" over the past few years.
Back in April, the B.C. government unveiled a plan to move close to 700 homeless people from camps in Vancouver and Victoria into hotels, motels and community centres. Under the Emergency Program Act, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth ordered that all residents of Oppenheimer Tent City evacuate the park by noon on May 9. This order was said to promote health and safety of residents, visitors, health workers, and support workers from COVID-19.
However, not all of the former Oppenheimer campers felt that the move served their best interests. A few of them state that many homeless people have been negatively affected by the move, while others say they were bumped off the housing list.
Now, Safer Vancouver says the relocation has exacerbated the issues that were in Oppenheimer Park: "it only further spreads it throughout our City, subjecting more Vancouver residents to be victimized. Oppenheimer Park Tent City was notorious for its open drug use, violent assaults, dangerous weapons, stabbings and shootings."
In a phone call, two Yaletown residents who are members of the group tell Vancouver Is Awesome that their neighbourhood has changed drastically in only a matter of months; both women wish to remain anonymous due to safety concerns.
The women note that the Howard Johnson, which is located in their neighbourhood, is one of the buildings that BC Housing uses for former Oppenheimer campers. They say people are always loitering outside of the building, as well as the surrounding area. What's more, they say that people from the hotel are coming into the parkade of their residential building, and some of them have even entered their lobby. In addition, a building cleaner went to pick up a pile of garbage and was punctured by needles.
"We look directly at the Howard Johnson from our building," one of the women explains. "There is always someone overdosing. There are constant sirens now, open drug use.. we saw someone defecating right outside."
A popular park for families, the women say that Emery Barnes Park has become increasingly unsafe. They add that many women have purchased pepper spray and even bear mace, which they never did before: "This used to be a very safe neighbourhood."
"We would have never walked through Oppenheimer Park - and there's nothing stopping Emery Barnes Park from turning into another Oppenheimer."
Yesterday, the B.C. Supreme Court granted an injunction against a tent city set up in a parking lot owned by the Port of Vancouver.
Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson ruled on Wednesday that campers at Crab Park have three days to pack up their belongings and leave the property, but he did not include an enforcement order.
"Where will people go? There's no housing attachment to this order and people will just be sent back out to the streets or alleys," Tent city liaison Chrissy Brett said in an interview with the Canadian Press.
Estimates vary, but the tent city has grown substantially since it first emerged in the parking lot. According to Red Braid Alliance, there are currently 82 tents and 100 residents in the encampment.
Safer Vancouver underscores that they understand that people on the street are fighting with mental health and addiction issues. However, they say that the temporary housing arrangement isn't an effective way to help people.
"It is just a Band-Aid - these people need real help. And no one is considering our families."
