Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Vancouver mayor seeks more money for homeless

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Aug, 2022 03:53 PM
  • Vancouver mayor seeks more money for homeless

VANCOUVER - The deadline to dismantle an encampment along Vancouver's Hastings Street has passed with little change, but the city's mayor says he's reached out to the federal and B.C. governments for urgent funding and other supports.

Vancouver fire Chief Karen Fry issued a safety order last month to remove the tents and structures on the street's sidewalk in the Downtown Eastside, and the street was supposed to be cleared on Wednesday.

Mayor Kennedy Stewart says in a statement that since the order, the city has increased resources for those living on the street, including creating space to store personal belongings, street cleaning, washroom access and peer support services.

However, Stewart says while the city is assembling these supports, the operations require significant investments from senior levels of government.

He says he spoke this week with new B.C. Housing Minister Murray Rankin about how the city and province can co-ordinate their approaches to connecting unsheltered residents to housing.

Stewart says he also reached out to the government of Canada asking for additional urgent housing funding.

“Vancouver has been home to a significant homeless population since starting an official homeless count in 2005 and the pandemic has only made matters worse, requiring all three levels of government to come together to take concerted and sustained actions," Stewart says in the statement.

MORE National ARTICLES

COVID-19 cases rise for the 5th week, deaths stable

COVID-19 cases rise for the 5th week, deaths stable
In the U.N. health agency’s weekly review of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO said there were 5.7 million new infections confirmed last week, marking a 6% increase. There were 9.800 deaths, roughly similar to the previous week’s figure.

COVID-19 cases rise for the 5th week, deaths stable

Canada restoring random testing of air travellers

Canada restoring random testing of air travellers
Ottawa paused the random testing of vaccinated travellers entering Canada by air on June 11, while it worked on moving the tests themselves locations outside of airports. The government now says testing will resume as of July 19 for fully vaccinated travellers arriving at the Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto airports.

Canada restoring random testing of air travellers

COVID vaccine for youngest kids approved

COVID vaccine for youngest kids approved
"After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, the department has determined that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 in children between 6 months and 5 years of age," the department said in a statement.

COVID vaccine for youngest kids approved

Overdose deaths set more records in B.C.: coroner

Overdose deaths set more records in B.C.: coroner
In at least 44 per cent of the cases, benzodiazepine was detected, which the coroner says doesn't respond to naloxone and makes reversing an overdose very difficult. At least 940 people died from toxic drugs in B.C. between January and May, which is also a record number for the start of a calendar year.

Overdose deaths set more records in B.C.: coroner

Man's body found in an industrial area of Burnaby, foul play confirmed: IHIT

Man's body found in an industrial area of Burnaby, foul play confirmed: IHIT
First responders were called to a gravel lot near a vacant building on Norland Avenue near Laurel Street around 9:45 am on Thursday, July 14 after a member of the public found an adult male who was deceased. The victim had injuries consistent with foul play. Efforts are underway to identify the victim, but there are early indications it was a targeted incident.

Man's body found in an industrial area of Burnaby, foul play confirmed: IHIT

Surrey-Langley SkyTrain to be operable by 2028

Surrey-Langley SkyTrain to be operable by 2028
Once complete, Fleming says it will take just 22 minutes to travel from Langley to King George station in Surrey, and just over an hour to get from Langley to downtown Vancouver.  The province says in a release that work on the project, including utility relocations and road widening, is already underway and major construction is expected to begin in 2024.

Surrey-Langley SkyTrain to be operable by 2028