Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside residents frustrated after clearing of belongings

Advocates and people living in the encampment on Vancouver’s East Hastings street are voicing their anger after city workers tried to clear the sidewalk of structures and belongings Wednesday.

Ryan Sudds, the organizer of the group Stop the Sweeps, says it began around 2 p.m. Feb. 22, where he says around 20 Vancouver Police Department (VPD) officers escorted the city workers who were looking to clear the sidewalks of the street.

Read More: Vancouver DTES residents clash with city staff, police

One man who has been living there for three months tells CityNews about his experience.

“I used to have a tent here and the next day I wake up [at] 8 o’clock in the morning, 9 o’clock, I went to get my coffee, I came back, my tent has been moved, and [it felt] so painful because that’s all I have. All my stuff was thrown away,” Moses Taban said.

The City of Vancouver says around 66 tent structures remain on East Hastings, and sources tell CityNews that number is around half of what it was in the summer when the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services issued a controversial fire order to clear things off the sidewalk.

Advocates and people living in the encampment on Vancouver’s East Hastings street are voicing their anger after city workers tried to clear the sidewalk of structures and belongings Wednesday. (Kier Junos/CityNews)

A man who says he has lived there for the past two years says residents were given time limits to remove their belongings.

“They were giving us one-hour time limits, it’s either, get your s*** mobile or lose your s*** kind of thing,” Jason Rondeau explained.

CityNews spoke with Rondeau and his girlfriend last Thursday, when some residents were once again expecting staff to get them to move their things.

The City of Vancouver has said staff encourages people to move their belongings voluntarily, sometimes enforcing a bylaw that prohibits structures and belongings on the sidewalks.

But Rondeau says that’s not the case.

Advocates and people living in the encampment on Vancouver’s East Hastings street are voicing their anger after city workers tried to clear the sidewalk of structures and belongings Wednesday. Resident Jason Rondeau says he has been living there for the past two years. (Kier Junos/CityNews)

“It’s not voluntary [he laughs], if anything, it’s the opposite of that,” Rondeau said.

In a statement from the Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon, he says officials are working at creating a safer Downtown Eastside, and that resources are available for residents, including shelters.

“We recognize the urgent need to offer safe, indoor housing to those currently sheltering outside on Hastings Street and CRAB Park in Vancouver. The Province is working with partners at all levels of government, with Indigenous and community leaders, to take a leadership role in seeing a healthier, safety Downtown Eastside. This ongoing crisis reflects the significant demand for housing in Vancouver and the need to stop the cycle of homelessness,” he said.

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“Encampments are not a safe or suitable form of housing or shelter. Outreach workers are actively connecting with people sheltering outdoors to ensure they’re aware of shelters, drop-in services and resources, including warm clothes, access to meals and other community-based support services. The Province, BC Housing, City of Vancouver, and other partners continue to work on a plan that ensures we’re offering quality housing options, with health, social, and community supports where appropriate, that will bring people indoors and sustain them over the long-term. The City of Vancouver is responsible for by-law enforcement, including removal of structures and Fire Order compliance, and has been working with partners to ensure people are aware of housing and social support options.”

Although he’s lived there for the last few years, Rondeau says he’s finally secured housing, saying it came without help from the city. But, he says most of his neighbours haven’t been as fortunate yet.

“It’s like, every four days we have to pack up a new location and it’s just stressful. I mean, how would anybody like being told, you know, ‘you’ve got to move to a new house now?’ Four days later, ‘you’ve got to move to another house,'” Rondeau said.