Community Update Aug 25

Dear Neighbours,

We have news worth celebrating. The Province has cancelled the proposed overdose prevention site at 900 Helmcken, and we thank Minister of Health Ravi Kahlon for listening to our community.

This happened for one reason: you. 

The residents and business owners of this neighbourhood showed up, spoke out, wrote letters, and shared their stories, and refused to be ignored. Every email, every conversation, and every voice added up to something the Province simply could not overlook. This win belongs to you.

A special thank you to Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver, who stood behind this community from the start.

We're also grateful to the many other leaders and organizations who stood with us throughout: VPD Chief Steve Rai, Jane Talbot and the Downtown Vancouver BIA, Royce Chwin and Destination Vancouver, Ian Tostenson and the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, and Laura Ballance and Hospitality Association Vancouver. And we thank Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services Terry Yung and Vancouver Coastal Health for hearing our concerns.

This shows what can happen when decision-makers listen. A site at 900 Helmcken was never the right answer, and we hope this is the start of the genuine consultation this community has asked for all along, focused on real treatment and recovery.

This isn't over, and we intend to stay at the table for whatever comes next. We're still waiting on more details as the situation develops, including what this means for our Residents Forum on September 16th. We'll be in touch soon with next steps and the plan for that evening, just as soon as we can.

More soon,

Neighbours of 900 Helmcken

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