The Vancouver Fire Department has ordered the immediate removal of tents and structures along East Hastings Street in the city’s downtown east due to “numerous pressing safety concerns.”
In a bulletin issued Monday afternoon, the City of Vancouver said the order, issued by Fire Chief Karen Fry, emphasizes the increased fire risk associated with the number of tents and structures installed ·laid currently along the road.
There have been several fires in the area in recent weeks, including one that destroyed a community church and another that reduced a Value Village store to rubble.
The city said there were already plans to remove structures in the area, but Monday’s order will speed up that process. It will work with nonprofits and other stakeholders to remove tents and structures in the “coming days.”
The dismantling of the structures comes as Vancouver, and much of the province, remains under a heat advisory. Temperatures in Vancouver are expected to reach 33C inland.
The bulletin says there will be additional support for people living outdoors, including storage for belongings, more public toilets and increased access to misting stations, hand washing and water sources.
Tents line the sidewalk in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on June 22. (Justine Boulin/CBC)
The mayor supports the move
Mayor Kennedy Stewart said he was informed late last week that Vancouver Fire Rescue Services was going to take action and said he supports the move.
“The situation has become unsafe for people in the buildings as well as on the sidewalks,” he said.
“Although I know it will be difficult for those currently living on Hastings Street because some of them will have to move.”
Stewart said that despite the thousands of non-commercial housing and modular homes built or purchased in Vancouver in recent years, “it’s clear that the demand for high-quality supportive housing still outstrips the supply” and called more investment from the highest levels of government. .
“I’m reaching out to the nonprofits to see if they have housing. I have a meeting tomorrow with three of the larger nonprofits to see if they have any spare rooms. So we’re doing everything we can we’re doing. can get all the people to have housing,” he said.
The city’s statement said that “since July 1, the situation … has become much more unsafe,” adding that it was also July 1 when the Vancouver Police Department stopped accompanying city staff during street cleaning.
When asked about the link, Stewart said he had no regrets about how the process had unfolded.
“It wasn’t a city decision, it was a police operations decision,” he said.
“We’re trying to coordinate as best we can. I think that all changed today with the fire order; it’s going to bring us closer to trying to coordinate even more because the situations have become so urgent.”