The provincial government, the city of Vancouver and the Streetohome Foundation this morning announced over 1,000 units of “supportive housing.” Almost all the new units are in the downtown area. Read more…

Two Vancouver legal groups have filed a complaint with the B.C. Ombudsperson, claiming contradictory government policies mean children may remain in foster care longer than necessary.

At a time when social workers are 'beleaguered by funding cuts and huge caseloads', they say family reunification should be the government's priority. Read more…

Lu’ma Native Housing Society has launched a program to provide phone numbers and voice-mail boxes to homeless -- as well as phoneless -- Canadians.

“We take having our own phone number for granted,” project manager James Foster said. “Vancouver’s most impoverished citizens do not.” Read more…

Vancouver is poised to spend an extra $32-million to hold on to just half the housing legacy promised by boosters of the 2010 Winter Games. Read more…

B.C. will continue funding three of seven Vancouver homeless shelters slated to be shut down at the end of this month, Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman announced this morning.

The province remains committed to closing Vancouver's remaining four emergency shelters, but pledged to "offer shelter and housing options" to the estimated 160 homeless people living in those facilities. Read more…

The City of Vancouver's release of homelessness numbers last week was questionable, said Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman.

“The methodology for this count wasn't according to how we would have done it or the timing we would have done it,” he said. “It's their count. Some people think they did it just to try to put pressure on me, and that doesn't work.” Read more…

A group of homeless residents of the Aboriginal Central Shelter said they will form a tent city if the Vancouver shelter closes on April 20 as planned.

"Nobody wants to live in a tent," said shelter resident Stuart Fraser. "Nobody wants to sleep in a park. We have no choice."

The Aboriginal facility is one of seven Vancouver homeless shelters housing more than 500 residents slated to close near the end of this month when the provincial government plans to stop providing operating funds. Read more…

Vancouver's homeless population has grown by 12 per cent since 2008, according to preliminary results of a citywide homeless census conducted last month.

The new numbers were released just days ahead of a provincial plan to close seven Vancouver shelters on April 30. In a memo to council, Vancouver City Manager Penny Ballem wrote, "Overnight, these closures will add approximately 500 people to those sleeping on the streets of Vancouver." Read more…

B.C. Housing filed a statement of claim today in British Columbia Supreme Court against the Downtown Eastside Residents Association, its housing society and its executive director Kim Kerr. Read more…

It won't be popular, but eliminating single-family zoning is key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Vancouver, says Mayor Gregor Robertson and one of the city's leading green architects. Read more…

More than 300 volunteers are spread throughout Vancouver today in an effort to learn more about the city's large homeless population. Read more…

The Victoria non-profit group Together Against Poverty Society said yesterday it was surprised to be denied a much needed $65,000 community gaming grant, but a government spokesperson said the group's solid finances made it ineligible. Read more…

The provincial government cut funding to the Together Against Poverty Society, according to a news release the Victoria non-profit agency released this afternoon. Read more…

Organizers of the Olympic tent village that has occupied a vacant lot in the Downtown Eastside for the past two weeks are officially dismantling it. They are declaring the demonstration a success, but they are vowing that it will not be the last time they set up camp. “I think what you can see is that we are not afraid to take up space. We’ve been able to hold down 58 West Hastings for two weeks. We’re not afraid to occupy important sites in the neighborhood and in Vancouver and have our voices heard," said Nathan Crompton, one of the tent city organizers. Read more…

From laneway houses to shipping containers to 200-square-foot stackable condos, Vancouver's green building sector is showing off small, efficient designs at the 2010 Olympics. Read more…

A protest outside Bob Rennie's Chinatown art gallery was tame save for one heated exchange.

Former premier Mike Harcourt stepped into a media scrum to counter protester assertions that real estate moguls will gentrify the Downtown Eastside. Read more…

Organizers of the Olympic Tent Village on Hastings street will likely comply with any police or city order to disband the encampment.

“This is a peaceful protest,” the Power of Women’s Elaine Durocher told reporters Monday afternoon. “When they ask us to leave – and if it’s before our demands are met – we will leave peacefully.” Read more…

Residents of Kiwanis Village, a housing complex for seniors, were forced to evacuate their homes after a devastating late-night fire in Duncan, B.C. The flames affected one building, or 28 of 90 units, in the four-building complex, leaving many low-income seniors without homes and most of their possessions. Read more…

Pivot Legal Society continued its tightly-focused red tent campaign with a noon-time homelessness rally that felt almost like a celebration.

“It’s got a good vibe,” the group’s executive director John Richardson told the Tyee as he shook hands, shot smiles and composed a speech in his head. Read more…

Civil society activists refrained from criticizing Saturday’s violent march as they unfurled a giant banner from Cambie Bridge Monday morning. But the head of Pivot Legal Society hoped today’s action changes the way people think about protest. Read more…