Vancouver firefighters support mayor’s plan to move supportive housing away from Granville Strip
Posted June 19, 2025 10:40 am.
Last Updated June 20, 2025 8:13 pm.
A union representing hundreds of Vancouver firefighters is commending the city’s plan to move supportive housing off the Granville Strip.
Last week, Mayor Ken Sim announced that the city — in collaboration with the provincial housing ministry — is working to move the current supportive housing units away from the popular entertainment district.
The announcement came after a fire at an SRO on Granville Street on the evening of June 11. According to Vancouver Fire Rescue crews, two people were treated at the scene and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
In a post to social media Wednesday, the IAFF Local 18 says the move is a step to restoring safety for Single Room Occupancy (SRO) residents, the public, and first responders.
The union also says it supports the decision to limit the individual spaces in a new, purpose-built supportive housing.
“Capping these future projects at 40 units—with on-site security, mental health care, and substance use support—is a safer, more compassionate approach,” said the post on the Vancouver Fire Fighters Facebook page.
Sim promises that new supportive housing projects will provide on-site security initiatives “that include road to recovery.”
The union says, “These changes aren’t just about stabilizing a neighbourhood. They’re about giving residents a real chance to get better, and reducing preventable harm for everyone involved.”
—With files from Charlie Carey
