Articles of DOWNTOWNEASTSIDE.ORG

Addiction

Downtown Eastside’s Falling Overdose Rates Challenge What We Think We Know

The toxic drug crisis in British Columbia’s Downtown Eastside—a neighbourhood at the epicentre of overdose fatalities—has presented an unexpected, albeit cautious, glimmer of hope. ...
An image of a homeless person sitting on a bench consuming substances in the middle of a busy urban environment
Healthcare

Multidrug-Resistant Shigella Spreads Among Vancouver’s Homeless Population

Shigella, a disease typically linked to poor sanitation in developing countries, is now thriving in the heart of Vancouver. A recent study on multidrug-resistant ...
Image of Vancouver Police Department standing in the middle of the street with people behind it
Order

Withdrawal of Police Support Raises Questions About BC’s Decriminalization

Police associations are stepping back from supporting BC’s decriminalization pilot, citing public safety concerns and increasing disorder in communities. The withdrawal of backing from ...
Picture of Brandon Buckingham interviewing a resident of Downtown Eastside Vancouver on East Hastings Street
Community

Life in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with Brandon Buckingham

In a brutally honest portrayal of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Brandon Buckingham’s Life on East Hastings goes beyond statistics and media headlines to capture the ...
Vancouver Police Department officer captured standing on the sidewalk of East Hastings Street in Downtown Eastside Vancouver
Order

Is Urban Disorder Canada’s Real Threat?

Amid increasing concerns about crime and safety in Canada, particularly in urban centres, one overlooked factor is emerging as a major player in public ...
Image of people in need welcomed in winter shelter space located in Downtown Eastside Vancouver
Community

2024-2025 Winter Shelter Spaces Across British Columbia

As temperatures begin to drop across British Columbia, thousands of people experiencing homelessness will have access to safe, heated spaces this winter. Through BC ...
Image of acupuncture needles inserted in patient skin in an attempt to subdue the withdrawal effects of drug addiction
Addiction

The Potential of Acupuncture in Treating Addiction

With Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside at the heart of Canada’s opioid and addiction crisis, the neighbourhood has long been an epicentre of innovative, community-based treatment ...
Pictured ambulance with first responders assisting on the streets of Downtown Eastside Vancouver
Healthcare

Frontline Challenges of the Canadian Overdose Crisis

Emergency Departments (EDs) are overwhelmed epicentres in the opioid crisis, serving as the immediate refuge for many individuals who use unregulated substances. Nurses, physicians, ...
People are captured on a sidewalk in front of the Hotel Canada SRO in Downtown Vancouver
Housing

The Fight to Save Vancouver’s SROs

Single Room Occupancies (SROs) have long served as the last stop before homelessness. However, the 2023 Low-Income Housing Survey highlights a sobering reality: SROs, ...
Moms Stop the Harm organization seen protesting current drug policies in British Columbia
Addiction

British Columbia’s Promise of Safer Supply

For almost a decade, British Columbia has been in the grip of a devastating overdose epidemic, exacerbated by an increasingly toxic unregulated drug supply. ...
Volunteers of Vancouver's Salvation Army Harbour Light Program are pictured serving Thanksgiving turkey meals to those in need in Downtown Eastside.
Community

Salvation Army’s 2024 Vancouver Thanksgiving Meal

As Thanksgiving approaches, the Salvation Army’s Vancouver Harbour Light is once again preparing to open its doors to serve the community of Vancouver’s Downtown ...
Business leaders from cities across Canada are speaking to Parliamentarians in Ottawa about the desperate need to tackle the challenges plaguing small businesses and downtowns
Order

Canada’s Downtowns Demand Bail Reform

Canada’s downtowns are in trouble, and business leaders are sounding the alarm. Crime, mental health struggles, addiction, and homelessness have created a public safety ...
Ambulance rushing through a busy city area with emergency lights on
Healthcare

Canada’s Healthcare Exposes Broken Promises

For over four decades, Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system has been built on the values of fairness and equity—principles rooted in the collective belief ...
The image captures the garbage-filled streets of Downtown Eastside Vancouver, with the Hotel Balmoral lobby entrance in the centre of the frame.
Voices

Is DTES a Neighbourhood in Crisis or Opportunity for Change? (Opinion)

The Downtown Eastside was once a bustling neighbourhood filled with working-class families and the beating heart of Vancouver’s social and cultural fabric. However, its ...
Landscape photo capturing densely populated Metro Vancouver area that struggles to overcome the housing crisis
Housing

Housing Crisis Takes Center Stage in BC Election

As British Columbia heads into a crucial provincial election, one issue stands out above all others: housing. With affordability in a state of crisis, ...
Picture of Smith-Yuen Apartments in Downtown Eastside Vancouver as a symbol of hope and sustainable future for many.
Voices

Amy Romer: How One Building in DTES Helps Finding Comfort

The Downtown Eastside (DTES) is often portrayed as a place of despair, with stories of poverty, addiction, and homelessness dominating the narrative. But what ...
Justin Trudeau looking positive while giving a speech to a crowd of listeners, amidst the raging housing crisis in Canada
Housing

Trudeau’s Housing Measures and Their Hidden Dangers

Lower monthly mortgage payments might seem like a blessing in today’s challenging housing market, but they come with a dangerous cost: higher long-term debt ...
People carrying out testing of drugs at one of Vancouver's Supervised Drug Consumption Sites
Policy

The Battle Over Supervised Drug Consumption Sites

British Columbia’s overdose crisis continues to dominate political discourse, and the BC Conservative Party finds itself at the centre of a controversy over its ...
Two men openly use drugs in problematic Downtown Eastside Vancouver amidst drug epidemic in Canada
Voices

Josh Dehaas: Japan Shows Canadians Don’t Need to Accept Urban Disorder

In a thought-provoking opinion piece, journalist Josh Dehaas argues that Canada’s current approach to drug addiction and urban disorder has failed, pointing to Japan ...
British Columbia Doctors surrounding an elderly woman amidst population's growing concerns with the quality of healthcare in the province.
Healthcare

Is B.C.’s Healthcare System Beyond Repair?

British Columbia’s healthcare system is teetering on the brink of collapse, and many are wondering if the proposed solutions will ever be enough. With ...
A neighborhood trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, vacant storefronts, and social crises.
Community

The Downtown Eastside’s Struggle for Economic Survival

Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) is often portrayed as a neighborhood drowning in despair, with headlines focusing on drug use, crime, and poverty. But these ...