B.C. ends Downtown Eastside consultancy contract that came under fire
Posted May 20, 2025 2:26 pm.
Last Updated May 20, 2025 4:39 pm.
British Columbia Premier David Eby’s office has announced the end of a consultancy contract to improve conditions in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that had come under fire from critics who called it a political favour that lacked transparency.
A statement from Eby’s office says the debate about Michael Bryant’s contract was “distracting” from the important work in the neighbourhood.
It says Bryant’s contract ended on Sunday.
The statement says the government and Bryant — the former CEO of Legal Aid B.C. — have “a shared dedication” to improve conditions in the Downtown Eastside, and the government remains committed to making life better for people who live there.
The Opposition B.C. Conservatives have attacked Bryant’s contract, saying no reporting benchmarks have been disclosed or met.
It says the contract instructing Bryant to develop a “framework” for co-ordinating services in the neighbourhood was worth up to $325,000.
The premier addressed the contract termination in a media event in Vancouver Tuesday, saying he was excited by the work Bryant had already completed and was looking forward to more.
“And in fact, his briefings to date have provided a foundation for us to be able to move forward,” said Eby.
He says updates about the foundational work and the direction for the province’s work on the Downtown Eastside will be shared as it develops.
Conservative MLA Trevor Halford says the contract was “unacceptable,” and says its termination “wasn’t accountability, it was damage control.”
He tells 1130 NewsRadio that if the premier’s office was proud of the contract, it would have been more transparent in its early days.
“The fact is, is we went months without knowing that Mr. Bryant was was trying to embark on this work, and then he actually got caught by the media. And to me, that’s completely unacceptable,” said Halford.
He is demanding the premier provide more information about the contract, Bryant’s potential severance pay, and details of his past work.
—With files from Michael Williams
