City Debate #15: RETHINK THE DTES PLAN

The Downtown Eastside Plan (2014) was created to protect low-income residents and other community members by restricting new development and uses not specifically targeting the poor. Many believe the DTES is Vancouver's last authentic and compassionate neighbourhood in the city; others see a neighbourhood in decline. Is it time to rethink the DTES Plan to allow for a greater mix of self-supporting uses, residents and businesses? Or, does the DTES Plan effectively protect a vulnerable population and preserve/work towards a cohesive neighbourhood?

Links to the Plan:

Downtown Eastside Plan (2014)

Downtown Eastside Plan Implementation (2014-2018)

Downtown Eastside Plan Three-Year Progress Update (2014-2017)

Downtown Eastside Plan Implementation Update (2017-2019)

Organized by: Urbanarium, UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture

Sponsored by: BOSA, Marcon, Quantum, RH Architects, Shato Holdings Ltd., Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel, Strand

Pro

Michael Geller

Michael Geller is a planner, real estate consultant, retired architect, and Adjunct Professor at SFU. He first became involved with the DTES in the 1970s as CMHC’s architect/planner and Program Manager-Social Housing. In 2004 he participated in the Woodwards redevelopment on behalf of SFU, and in 2008 was a founding Director of Building Community Society. In 2014 he opposed the proposed DTES Plan.

Suzanne Anton, KC

Suzanne served as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of BC and MLA for Vancouver Fraserview from 2013 – 2017. She was elected to Vancouver City Council from 2005-2011, and began her political career on the Vancouver Park Board from 2002-2005. Suzanne is a lawyer, and a former Crown Prosecutor and math teacher.

Con

Nathan Edelson

Nathan Edelson is a Partner with 42nd Street Consulting – focusing on planning for inclusive communities – including the “RePlanning” of False Creek South. He was the Senior City Planner for the Downtown Eastside where he worked on many policies related to housing, heritage, community economic development, social services and harm reduction.

Tanya Fader

Tanya Fader has worked in the field of supportive housing, harm reduction, mental health and addictions for twenty-three years in the DTES and beyond, beginning on the frontline, and is now the director of housing for PHS Community Services Society’s housing and sheltering operations in Vancouver.

Pre-debate poll results

Pro 85%

Con 15%

Post-debate poll results

Pro 45%

Con 55%

Location

49.282926, -123.12039

Urbanrium-SALA CityDebates are back after a two-year hiatus. Join us this season for monthly Oxford-style debates on timely issues facing Metro Vancouver. Each night two teams face off to argue for and against controversial positions. The pair that successfully changes the most minds wins!

“Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” – George Bernard Shaw

Our moderator

Frances Bula

Frances Bula is an award winning journalist specializing in urban issues and city politics in the Vancouver region, which she has covered since 1994. She writes for the Globe and Mail’s B.C. section and Report on Business. She has written for the Vancouver Sun, BCBusiness, Canadian Architect, Canadian Business, Georgia Straight, and countless more.

Land Acknowledgement

Norm Leech

Norm Leech

Norm Leech is the Executive Director at Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, Executive Director for the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre and President of Aboriginal Front Door Society. Past co-chair of Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council. Norm is a frequent facilitator and speaker on the Indigenous experience with colonization. He was born and raised in East Vancouver, with ancestry in the T’it’q’et community of the St’at’imc nation where he served as Chief and then Administrator.

Intervenors

DTES Residents Group

DTES Residents

"We are a group of Downtown Eastside residents and tenants who are actively working to improve the conditions in their buildings and the community at large. Collectively we bring years of experience in front line work, tenant advocacy, and drug policy. We oppose developer-led gentrification of our neighbourhood and paternalistic policies and practices that prevent us from governing our own lives."

Walley Wargolet

Walley is the Executive Director of the Gastown Business Improvement Association. Before moving to Canada in 2005, Wargolet, an American, had an extensive career in investment management and business consulting. In 2011, Wargolet became an investment partner in Dutil Denim Shop, a fashion retailer in Vancouver, launching an e-commerce program and facilitating the national roll out of the company.

Roger

Roger Collins

Roger Collins is the co-owner of Calabash Restaurant that has operated in the Hastings Crossing BIA jurisdiction for 13 years and Uprise Bakery on Venables in Strathcona. 