Vancouver's Homeless

What to do about the homeless problem in Vancouver

Ship them somewhere else.

This is the solution put forth by generations of lawmakers and urban developers. During the 2010 Vancouver Olympics there were multiple documented cases of Greyhound buses being deployed by city officials to load and ship the visible homeless population out of the city to make way for the enjoyment of tourists and foreigners. Never before has such a case of neglect by government officials towards their citizens and constituents been so apparent. Now that the homeless problem has a face, namely the encampment currently in Strathcona park, it is clear to see the city is content that as long as the homeless are kept out of sight, they will be out of mind, as well.

In this time more than any it is imperative that we keep front of mind the importance of taking care of our own, our fellow citizens, more than any. This is because although multiple hotels and other facilities have been employed by the province and city to take care of the less fortunate of our population, there remains a “problematic visible homeless population” within the city, and without them there to remind us of their presence both visible and otherwise, what little momentum the progress for human rights for all may slow down or be lost entirely.

While the buses in 2010 may not have been a constructive solution, and the hotels in 2020 are, these both cause the problem of removing the visibility that the homeless possess, and therefore their presence of mind in the rest of the population. Now that a Vancouver city counselor has had his life threatened while trying to defend one of his neighbors from a threatening crackhead, a workable solution and change are desperately needed, with participation from all levels of government and the community as well.

By: Brendan Yates

Email: brendan.communityvoice@gmail.com