Vancouver mayor under fire over leaked memo to ‘return’ Indigenous people out of Downtown Eastside

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is facing backlash after a leaked proposal suggested relocating Indigenous people from the city’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.

The leak triggered calls for an apology, with critics urging Sim to abandon the plan and reassure the public that it will not move forward.

On top of an apology, the BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) is demanding the mayor and city commit to scrapping the “deeply troubling” idea, which it believes undermines Vancouver’s reconciliation efforts.

“It’s certainly concerning,” said BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee. “This isn’t reconciliation; it’s rather, a slap in the face of many First Nations.”

The leaked memo, originally reported by The Globe and Mail, was circulated among councillors of Sim’s ABC party and proposed a “Re-unification roundtable” with First Nations, Métis, and other Indigenous groups.

The purpose of this roundtable was reportedly to relocate Indigenous residents back to their “home” communities.

Despite the changes made to the document after its leak, there are concerns that the mayor’s office may still be considering the proposal, and critics fear these efforts may be part of a broader gentrification strategy.

Teegee says roughly 30 per cent of the DTES population is Indigenous.

“It’s never a solution to forcibly displace many citizens of Vancouver, and it fundamentally ignores the rights of Indigenous and First Nations peoples in the city.”

Teegee points out that many Indigenous peoples move to urban cities in search of employment, education, housing, and healthcare services that are not available in their home communities.

However, for many Indigenous people, Teegee says cities like Vancouver are also where they are forced to confront the legacy of colonialism, including the devastating impacts of Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the chronic underfunding of services in rural First Nations communities.

“I think instead of forcibly moving people out, the city needs to build more supportive housing, and [develop] initiatives led by First Nations to deal with the social issues in the Downtown Eastside,” he explained.

In response, Mayor Ken Sim told 1130 NewsRadio that consultation on this plan is “ongoing.”

“We continue to engage with Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, as well as urban Indigenous communities, on policies impacting the Downtown Eastside (DTES). This work is central to our decade-long commitment as a City of Reconciliation, ensuring Indigenous voices help shape the decisions that guide Vancouver’s future,” he said.

“Reconciliation is an ongoing process – one that requires new conversations, meaningful action, and a commitment to Indigenous self-determination. We are seeking to change the status quo in the DTES by ensuring safer, more dignified housing and services that truly meet the needs of residents, giving everyone a real opportunity to thrive. We will continue to work with Indigenous leaders and communities to ensure solutions are informed by their voices and priorities.”