Province appoints ‘alignment’ coordinator for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

The provincial government has appointed a former senator, Vancouver mayor, police officer, and chief coroner as a special coordinator focused on the Downtown Eastside on Monday.

Larry Campbell will work with all levels of government to figure out how to improve housing, public spaces, infrastructure, and health care in the neighbourhood.

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Specifically, the province emphasized Campbell’s task to “align” government efforts with its policy objectives over the length of a six-month contract, which began Monday.

During a press conference, Campbell explained his plan on how he wants to achieve that.

“I wouldn’t have taken this position if I weren’t sure that with the help of these people and with the help of all three levels of government, we can make changes here for the Downtown Eastside, for the citizens of Vancouver, and hopefully for the other cities in the province who find themselves in much the same position,” he said.

Even though he admits that his new task involves a lot of work, Campbell is optimistic about making a difference to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.

“I’m hoping that by working with the community, we can achieve a process, and that’s really what I’m looking for is a process whereby people can move from their situation on the Downtown Eastside and on the street into proper housing,” he added.

Good recollections of Campbell’s work

Social workers and other community advocates in the city are hopeful that Campbell’s nomination will bring actual improvement.

Guy Felicella, a harm-reduction specialist, says he has good personal recollections of Campbell’s work in the neighbourhood while stressing that housing and long-term sustainable support will be key to that goal.

“It can’t be temporary, it can’t be a band-aid. Band-aids don’t solve complex problems,” Felicella told 1130 NewsRadio.

“Whether you overcome addiction or overcome homelessness or overcome mental-health challenges, overcoming them is one thing. Being stabilized after overcoming them is a completely different topic, and that’s where the key to success is.”

Felicella says he’s optimistic that Campbell will approach the neighbourhood through compassion and harm reduction.

“Downtown Eastside is a community of people, which I know he knows,” Felicella said.

“But the message is clear: the drug supply that’s available for people to access down there is killing them. That’s a big thing,”

He adds that Campbell was a familiar face during the decade that Felicella himself spent struggling with addiction and mental-health issues in the Downtown Eastside.

“These are all people at the end of the day, struggling. And you imagine how many times people are trying to access services and can’t. People feel defeated a lot of the time. So we’ll see how it goes. I’ll be somewhat of an optimist,” said Felicella.

In a statement on Monday, Campbell said working directly with people who “live, work, and gather there” will be critical to improving the Downtown Eastside.

“By working in partnership with the strong community and business leadership that already exists, and bringing my experience and relationships to this role, we will advance housing policy that meets local needs, and reduce barriers to strive for seamless care for our unhoused neighbours, especially women and Indigenous people, and those with complex mental health and addictions,” said Campbell.