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CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Amended motion to support Vancouver's art community a 'slap in the face,' says councillor
Social Sharing Vancouver artists have expressed anger and disappointment after a recent motion crafted by the city's arts advisory committee was heavily amended and passed on Wednesday despite the opposition of the councillor who originally put it forward. Artists say the original motion, which would have asked staff to investigate ways to increase support for the arts and culture sector through new city positions and securing artist spaces with a community land trust, would have meaningfully improved their situations. The motion, put forward by Coun. Pete Fry, also asked staff to look at the feasibility of increasing cultural operating grants by 10 per cent, and turning empty spaces into cultural areas, by the start of 2026 budget deliberations. But in council on Wednesday, after hearing from around 50 artists and culture workers who overwhelmingly supported the motion, Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung successfully amended the motion to instead propose a roundtable working group and push higher levels of government for more funding. WATCH | Arts funding motion hits snag: Push for arts funding in Vancouver hits snag at city council 14 hours ago While Kirby-Yung has defended the amendments as a way to more directly get grant money from higher levels of government to the cultural sector, artists say the new motion is watered down and does little to help them at a time when rapid redevelopment and the rising cost of living threatens their way of life. "The ethical quandary for me is that all of those beautiful people who showed up to put their reputation and voice on the line, including myself, weren't allowed to respond," said Mark Busse, a member of the city's Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and producer of CreativeMornings in Vancouver. "They pushed through a completely new policy that was not supported or considered by the creative arts and culture community." Busse said the new motion isn't bold enough to help address the situation of artists in the city. While the original motion he helped craft wasn't perfect, he said, it was a start. The original motion found that Vancouver had the highest population of artists and cultural workers among major Canadian cities, and despite generating over $6 billion in GDP in 2022, the cultural sector received only four per cent of the city's operating budget. "Who do we want to be? A decade or two from now, who are we as Vancouver?" Busse asked. "Without arts and culture, we're doomed, in my opinion." WATCH | Motion calls for empty spaces to be used by artists: Motion to use empty spaces for arts and culture in front of Vancouver City Council 4 days ago There's a motion being discussed at Vancouver City Council on Wednesday that looks at more supports for arts and culture in the city. It would come in the form of funding, but it also has to do with space. Stephen Quinn speaks with the owner of Chill Pill Comedy, Talie Perry. Concern over lack of spaces In 2019, the Eastside Arts Society produced a report that estimated 400,000 square feet of visual artist production space was lost in the city over the previous 10 years. Esther Rausenberg, art director and executive director of the Eastside Arts Society, told CBC News on Friday that an additional 80,000 square feet of artist space had been lost in the intervening six years as large-scale redevelopment proposals have been passed. "It's ... critical that we have spaces where artists can work in, where they can do their rehearsals, where they can create the art," she said. "And that's part of the equation, I think, that has been missed." In September 2019, the city set a goal to create 800,000 square feet of new or renewed cultural space by 2029. "Specific targets include 650,000 sq. [ft.] of new cultural space, 150,000 sq. [ft.] of renewed space, 400 units of artist social housing and an aspirational goal of no net loss of cultural space," a city spokesperson said in a statement. To date, the city claims it has reached 70 per cent of that goal, in part by securing 24 cultural spaces as part of redevelopment proposals throughout the city. WATCH | Time for more arts funding, artists say: Amid upsurge in Canadian patriotism, artists say time is ripe for more arts funding 5 months ago Rausenberg is skeptical of that figure, and another artist in the city said the city's math includes projects that are too far into the future to make a difference for artists now. "Let's strip out the square footage that's just been allotted from rezoning, or from developer promises ... let's talk about what is actually on the table right now," said Luke Summers, the operations director of Vancouver's Beaumont Studios. "How many spaces are there available for artists? How many spaces have we lost, and what can we do to rectify the situation as quickly as we can?" Summers said he wants to see a public report of the city's claims around new artist spaces, and that the original motion before council would have provided multi-year funding and tangible help for artists needing spaces. "Every dollar that's invested in the arts is spent many times over back in the economy," he said. "And so I think it's really important for people to understand that it's not just a nice to have — it's something that drives business." Councillors trade barbs Fry, who put forward the original motion on behalf of the arts advisory committee, said its requests were clear and would have asked staff to simply study whether they were feasible before budget discussions. In particular, he highlighted a request to create a culture navigator position at the City of Vancouver that would help artists through the permitting and regulatory process. The Green councillor called Kirby-Yung's amended motion a "slap in the face" to the city's arts community. "The overture to create yet another roundtable conversation ... really goes nowhere and kind of waters down a lot of the intention that came from the community," he said. "We already have a roundtable, and it's called the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, who actually put this motion forward." Kirby-Yung, who is part of the majority ABC party, said her amended motion recognized the need for federal and provincial governments to be part of the art funding conversation, rather than downloading responsibility to the city. She said some of the asks in the original motion were unrealistic and set up false expectations, such as one that would have added an arts tax or surcharge on private venues. "The motion that came forward included establishing, for example, several new City of Vancouver positions," she said.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Here's why a Vancouver councillor wants to see a ban on garburators
Food waste in an in-sink garbage disposal is shown in this image. (Credit: Shutterstock) A Vancouver councillor is hoping to move the city closer to banning the use of in-sink garbage disposals to get rid of food waste that ought to be composted instead. Green Coun. Pete Fry's motion 'A Drain on Resources and Resources Down the Drain: Pulling the Plug on In-Sink Garbage Disposal' is set to come to council this week and notes other cities including Victoria, Toronto, Kingston and Squamish already have bans in place. 'Garburators were once very in-fashion and the idea was that you could just grind your organic waste, and it would just disappear down the drain,' Fry told CTV News. But it doesn't disappear, he said, it ends up in wastewater treatment plants where it puts a strain on the infrastructure. 'It actually cost us, and it costs us all,' Fry said, pointing to the ballooning cost of the Northshore Wastewater Treatment Plant as an example of why taxpayers and residents ought to be concerned with what is flowing through those facilities. One of the issues Fry points to is that food waste can contain fats and oils which congeal into so-called 'fatbergs.' Fry notes Metro Vancouver spends millions per year clearing the costly clogs. The motion, Fry explained, is two-fold. First, it encourages public education about the impact of using in-sink garbage disposals to get rid of food waste and to promote composting instead. 'If we can mitigate and minimize the amount of organic material that has to be screened and removed from the system, it's probably a good thing for us,' he said. Second, it seeks to ban garburators in all new builds in the city by amending the building bylaw. The end goal, Fry said, is to 'just eliminate them altogether.' The councillor noted that Vancouver considered a ban in 2017 but did not implement one. Council will vote on the motion Wednesday. With files from CTV New Vancouver's Isabella Zavarise
CTV News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Vancouver could reduce speed limits on side streets to 30 km/h
A speed limit sign is seen in Vancouver on Friday, June 18, 2021. The City of Vancouver is looking at decreasing speed limits in over two dozen neighbourhoods in an effort to reduce injuries and save lives. A staff report called, 'Safer Slower Streets' recommends city council approve bylaw amendments to decrease the speed limit to 30 km/h on all local streets that do not have a painted centre line and are in a residential area. According to the report, speed limits are set by the province at 50 km/h, but municipalities have the authority to reduce these limits on individual streets by adopting a bylaw and installing proper signage. Staff are projecting a cost of $350,000. The report will be presented to council Wednesday and recommends a phased signage rollout. If approved, 25 neighbourhoods will be included in the plan. Speed impacts 'chances of survival' Coun. Pete Fry introduced a motion in 2024 that was unanimously supported and prompted this report. 'If you're hit by a car traveling 50 km/h, the chances of survival are quite low. You have an 80 per cent chance of a grievous bodily injury or death,' he said. 'If you're hit by a car traveling at 30 km/h, the entire metrics change, and the chances of survival are very high. So that's the impetus and the science behind this.' Fry added this issue is of particular importance to him, after a good friend of his died after being struck by a car in Strathcona. 'Really, that galvanized me to take action for this neighborhood,' he said. 'Ultimately, it was one of the first motions I brought forward as a councillor when I got elected in 2018, really following through on that commitment to Paul, who lost his life on Prior Street.' Modest speed reductions: report In 2020, council directed staff to test reduced speed limits of 30 km/h by extablishing 'slow zones' in Grandview-Woodland and Strathcona,' according to the report. It resulted in modest speed reductions. Council will vote on staff's findings Wednesday.
The Province
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Province
Vancouver mayor cites five possible sites for relocating Granville Strip supportive housing — but won't say where
Pete Fry, one of four council members not associated with Mayor Ken Sim's ABC Party, said he is shocked the mayor's office is not prepared to reveal the locations. The former Howard Johnson hotel at 1176 Granville Street is now an SRO with a nightclub on the ground floor. It has been the scene of numerous fires. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has identified five sites that could be used to relocate three Granville Street supportive-housing facilities that have had ongoing and numerous complaints from business owners. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors But on Thursday the city did not disclose the locations of the sites, whether they are vacant land or are already developed. The city says the proposed new facilities would be smaller in scale, each holding 55 to 65 units. Sim has sent his list of sites to the provincial government. Pete Fry, one of four council members not associated with Sim's ABC Party, said he is shocked the mayor's office made the announcement but is not prepared to reveal the locations. Business owner Allan Goodall, from left, with Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung on Granville street June 12, 2025. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG He also questioned who will pay for the required SRO conversion fee of $300,000 per unit for both the Granville Villa and St. Helen's Hotel. The two facilities combine for 170 units, which would total $510 million. 'I think these preliminary addresses that the mayor's office is referring to don't meet some of the expectations that we had discussed earlier in the Granville planning process,' said Fry. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Fry said many SRO residents wanted to stay in the area, but didn't want to be housed in the Downtown Eastside. 'And so I do worry that this press release may not accurately reflect those concerns that we heard from current residents in SROs in the Granville area.' In a statement Thursday, the mayor said that between January 2020 and May 2025, the Luugat, operated by Atira Women's Resource Society, and St. Helen's Hotel, operated by Coast Mental Health, have had 74 fires and 2,203 calls to Vancouver Fire Rescue Service. The two facilities, plus the Granville Villa operated by Community Builders, were also responsible for 1,364 police calls in 2024 alone, according to the city. 'Putting those with complex mental health challenges and substance use issues in an entertainment district was never a good idea,' said Sim. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a statement Thursday, the mayor said that between January 2020 and May 2025, the Luugat, operated by Atira Women's Resource Society, and St. Helen's Hotel, operated by Coast Mental Health, have had 74 fires and 2,203 calls to Vancouver Fire Rescue Service. Pictured here, the former Howard Johnson hotel at 1176 Granville Street has been the scene of numerous fires. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG Atira had no comment on Luugat and Coast Mental Health and Community Builders did not respond to a request for comment before deadline. The provincial Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs said in a statement it's supportive of Vancouver's efforts to revitalize Granville Street, but it wants the mayor and council to find 'suitable sites' and pre-zone them so they can be ready immediately. The city's announcement comes two days after Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon announced a working group to tackle increased violence and drug use following concerns raised by service providers. In May a number of the province's largest providers, including Portland Hotel Society, Pacifica Housing and Our Place Society, urged the province to take action to combat an increase in the number of weapons at the facilities. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. B.C.'s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, where several SROs have had dozens of calls to Vancouver Fire Rescue. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG Carolina Ibarra, CEO of Pacifica Housing, said she is hopeful that some meaningful changes can be implemented. She said it's extremely difficult to remove tenants even if they are violent — the effect of which also has a chilling effect on residents who otherwise would have to come forward to report abuse. 'We are more frequently seeing weapons in different sites, particularly those that don't have controlled access and aren't necessarily as robustly staffed. We are seeing individuals who are preying on our supportive housing residents,' said Ibarra, who added she understands the concerns of advocates regarding the possibility of increased evictions. She said supportive housing providers could previously transfer residents to other facilities or have them spend time at a respite facility, but under the Residential Tenancy Act, evictions are their only option. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Kahlon said Thursday he understands the split over the best way to move forward. He also said he shares the worry that removing supportive housing facilities from the protections of the Residential Tenancy Act would lead to vulnerable residents being forced out without cause. 'What we have said to the sector is that if you would like us to move away from the RTA, what levels of protection can be put in place to make sure that the people living there have some protection?' he said. Robert Patterson, a lawyer with the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre, said he's concerned that no tenant groups have been invited to participate in the working group. He also says that there is nothing in the Residential Tenancy Act that prevents housing providers from evicting tenants — and making the process easier will only serve to further reduce stability and comfort for vulnerable residents. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Supportive housing is seen as this way to provide people with stability in their housing where they have been previously housing instable and the Act protects that by making sure that there's rules that everyone has to follow,' said Patterson. 'In the case of a tenant engaging in some behaviour that merits a very, very quick eviction, there is an emergency eviction process under the Residential Tenancy Act that is now moving very quickly because of the increased capacity at the RTB.' alazenby@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Whitecaps BC Lions News Opinion
CBC
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim's city hall gym is no more
After controversy erupted at Vancouver city hall last year, Mayor Ken Sim has quietly backpedalled. Last year, a city hall boardroom was taken over by the mayor's office and converted into a gym. But all the equipment has now been removed. "He's not wearing athletic wear to council anymore ... but I don't know that it necessarily addresses some of the underlying faults," said Coun. Pete Fry. As Justin McElroy reports above, the removal of the gym isn't the only pivot the mayor has made around his public persona in recent months. Fry said people will remember a few things Sim has done since he was elected mayor: shotgunning a beer on stage at a street festival and wearing white running shoes and a hoodie at a Remembrance Day ceremony, for instance. "Those are images that just don't go away in the public's mind," he said. But lately he's been dressing differently, wearing a collared shirt and blazer to council meetings more often.
