Vancouver City Council

Motion on Notice

Submitted by Councillor Sullivan for Regular Council meeting of May 4, 2004.

2. Tent Cities in Vancouver

MOVER: Councillor Sullivan
SECONDER: Councillor

WHEREAS,

Vancouver City Council has been asked to approve a tent city for homeless people.

Several Councillors appear sympathetic to tent cities and Councillor Green has suggested that one be permitted adjacent to or on Downtown Eastside Residents Association Social Housing Units.

People require stable, warm, dry housing in order to live healthy and productive lives.

Tent cities in the United States accommodate very small numbers of homeless people (e.g., from 60 to 100) and people must abide by fairly strict rules that would disqualify the majority of homeless people from living there.

The plight of homeless people is the business of the whole community and it is essential that the whole community apply efforts to overcome this problem.

Citizens of Vancouver, no matter what their situation, deserve better than living in tents.

Many homeless people have illnesses that are exacerbated by their homelessness.

Staff are preparing a report on the state of homelessness.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT

Council indicates that it is not in favour of establishing a tent city in Vancouver.

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