Protesters gathered Friday to try to block demolition activity slated to knock down at least two buildings at the Little Mountain social housing site in East Vancouver.

"The first building has been knocked down already," said activist spokesperson Barry Growe, adding that some protesters were prepared to commit civil disobedience. Read more…

The provincial government is sending contradictory messages on homelessness and shelters, British Columbia Civil Liberties Association executive director David Eby said.

“It's beyond politics," said Eby. "It's double speak of the worst kind.” Read more…

Both the B.C. College of Pharmacists and the B.C. Attorney General have sided with the Pivot Legal Society in their fight against a pharmacist and SRO hotel owner accused of evicting tenants who refused to buy their methadone from him on the Downtown Eastside.

“We are very happy that the College of Pharmacists and the Attorney General have responded in the way they did,” said Laura Track, lawyer for the Pivot Legal Society, in a press release. “This kind of exploitation is completely unacceptable, and we hope that Mr. Wolsey amends his practices before we are forced to bring further legal actions against him.” Read more…

Housing and social development minister Rich Coleman introduced legislation today that will allow police to force homeless people to go to shelters during extreme weather.

“This act will give police a tool to say, 'You have to go to the shelter,'” said Coleman. Once offered a bed and a meal, most people will choose to stay, he said. “We just think we need the tool to get them there.” Read more…

The British Columbia government doesn't know how many people have been affected by a rule that denies services to developmentally disabled adults with an IQ over 70, housing and social development minister Rich Coleman said today.

“We don't track those numbers,” Coleman said during budget estimates debate for his ministry, noting the IQ policy will change next year when it is approved by cabinet. “We didn't track them before this went to court.” Read more…

The Lower Mainland residential real estate market has stabilized, according to a Vancouver market analyst, with recovery driven by affordability and marked by the flight of working class families from Vancouver to the suburbs.

“Sales activity has been supported by the first-time buyer and their new-found affordability in suburban markets,” Jennifer Podmore Russell told the Urban Development Institute. “South Surrey saw a dramatic return of activity for ground-oriented homes." Read more…

BC’s Homeless Action Week ends this weekend. Unfortunately, homelessness itself will not. Among the facts that British Columbians live with every day: There are more than 10,000 homeless British Columbians in this province. They die at the rate of one every 12 days. And they cost B.C. taxpayers as much as $1 billion a year. Read more…

February 5, 2010, is eviction day for homeless people sleeping near the Georgia Viaduct, Vancouver’s city manager said today.

Starting then, the busy thoroughfare connecting downtown to east Vancouver will be closed to normal traffic. It's part of the 2010 Games transportation plan. And Penny Ballem confirmed anyone sleeping near or under the viaduct will have to leave. Read more…

Like all critics who imagine they might be excellent playwrights someday, I have occasionally daydreamed about what a totally marvellous city councillor I might make. However, I’m starting to think that the sports-related demands might be just too much. Read more…

Some 20,000 seniors living in residential care facilities will pay more for their room and board starting in January, British Columbia health minister Kevin Falcon announced today. Read more…

The Union of BC Municipalities passed two familiar housing-related resolutions within the first two hours of their policy session today. Read more…

VANCOUVER --- Five social housing projects are being fast-tracked in the wake of a new agreement between BC Housing and the City of Vancouver, including a contentious proposal to redevelop the ageing Little Mountain Housing complex on the eastern side of Queen Elizabeth Park.

“We are proceeding with rezoning at Little Mountain and we have plan in place to accommodate the current residents on the site,” Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said Monday. Read more…

With provincial politicians refusing to provide details of what they've cut, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has launched an effort to create a list.

“We're concerned the impact of these cuts will be huge,” said Iglika Ivanova, an economist with the CCPA. “If we want to know what's happening, we have to do it ourselves.” Read more…

University of British Columbia researchers have delivered to VANOC a report on the impact of the Olympic games, but the agency is yet to set a date for releasing the findings. Read more…

The lack of affordable housing and the recession have taken their toll on British Columbians, extending far beyond the confines of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, according to one housing advocate. Read more…

Tyee coverage of the 2009 B.C. provincial election, funded and guided in part by Tyee readers, has been nominated for a Jack Webster Award for Excellence in Online Journalism. Read more…

After a turbulent year, the real estate market in Greater Vancouver seems to have hit its sweet spot. Read more…

Participants in a Bowen Island foot race tomorrow are trying to raise awareness for what they say is a little acknowledged fact: even an island oasis can have an affordable housing crisis.

“Bowen is quite gentrified… all you need to do is get on the ferry and see that the ferries are full of Mercedes SUV’s, for instance,” said Amanda Euringer, board member for the Bowen Community Housing Association. Read more…

Plans for 100 units of interim housing set to be ready for the winter are still uncertain, city officials confirmed today.

“We were hoping to announce something earlier, but there were still some more sort of negotiations and logistics to be worked out, but we are quite hopeful that we will be able to announce this in the fall,” said Kevin Quinlan, executive assistant to the Mayor, in an interview with The Tyee. Read more…

The Union of BC Indian Chiefs is supporting the family of a deceased First Nations man in requesting a coronor’s inquest into his death, which the UBCIC says was the result of “systemic racism.”

“The UBCIC is not going to step down or step away from these tragic circumstances. We’re absolutely outraged that yet another aboriginal man has died as a direct consequence of the failure an in sensitivities of the emergency services,” said UBCIC Grand Chief Stewart Phillip today at a press conference. Read more…