Cortes Currents

Tan Mei Xi/Vancouver Co-op Radio, Local Journalism Initiative - Vancouver's City Council has been passing a number of motions to alleviate the city's homelessness crisis since May. But for those on the street or in tent cities, those motions haven't translated into changes in their living conditions.

Earlier in September, Council directed staff to report back on five options to alleviate the homelessness crisis, including leasing apartment buildings, hotels, or motels; allowing tiny homes; creating temporary disaster relief shelters; converting City-owned buildings into temporary shelters; and opening RV parks.

Since then, Council has passed a motion directing staff to spend up to $30 million to purchase or lease apartment buildings or hotels and create an indoor temporary disaster relief shelter. More recently, Council passed another motion directing staff to research how bylaws would need to be changed to allow for tiny homes in the city.

In the last week, the federal government announced $51.5 million dollars in funding for housing for residents experiencing homelessness. According to the Tyee, it is still unclear when the funding will be provided.

This i part 2 of our interview with journalist Jen St. Denis. Jen covers the DTES beat for The Tyee.

David P. Ball/Vancouver Co-op Radio, local Journalism Initiative -Although Premier Horgan's $10-a-day childcare pledge would be a game-changer for many, Simon Fraser University's Stewart Prest said other important issues — renters rights, welfare rates, homelessness and drug laws — got sideswiped off the election campaign stage by COVID-19.

The political scientist in Vancouver said people hopeful for radical reforms from the newly elected B.C. New Democrat majority government should probably brace for some disappointment.

Stewart Prest, a lecturer at Simon Fraser University, said many issues of vital importance for the province's lowest-income residents got swept aside in the election campaign — which was dominated by concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic damages — so the new government is unlikely to make any radical or sweeping reforms on issues like drug prohibition, homelessness and housing affordability, welfare and disability rates, or renters' rights.

But he said one of the few big policy promises of Premier John Horgan's campaign would make a big dent in many families' pocketbooks, particularly those at the bottom of the economic ladder: affordable daycare. If Horgan fulfils the promise to extend $10-a-day childcare to more families, Prest told The Pulse on CFRO, that itself would be a significant help to low-income families in the province struggling with their bills and ability to work.

On other issues such as expanding the safe supply of illicit drugs or expanding harm reduction programs, protecting renters from eviction, or effectively finding solutions to homelessness and tent cities, Prest warned voters not to expect anything dramatic.

The NDP has a strong mandate, but it is based on widespread voter support on how the Horgan government handled the COVID-19 emergency, not necessarily on its social policies. With Horgan reaching out across the political aisle immediately following the election, pledging to work with all parties in Victoria, it seems the party is re-assuring British Columbians their main aim may be a steady economic hand at the wheel of government through a crisis.

Meanwhile, advocates for tenants' rights, drug decriminalization or legalization, and other issues say they will continue pushing the new government to go further and act more aggressively on issues vital to many vulnerable communities in Vancouver and the province.

David P. Ball/Vancouver Co-op Radio, local Journalism Initiative -Although Premier Horgan's $10-a-day childcare pledge would be a game-changer for many, Simon Fraser University's Stewart Prest said other important issues — renters rights, welfare rates, homelessness and drug laws — got sideswiped off the election campaign stage by COVID-19.

The political scientist in Vancouver said people hopeful for radical reforms from the newly elected B.C. New Democrat majority government should probably brace for some disappointment.

Stewart Prest, a lecturer at Simon Fraser University, said many issues of vital importance for the province's lowest-income residents got swept aside in the election campaign — which was dominated by concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic damages — so the new government is unlikely to make any radical or sweeping reforms on issues like drug prohibition, homelessness and housing affordability, welfare and disability rates, or renters' rights.

But he said one of the few big policy promises of Premier John Horgan's campaign would make a big dent in many families' pocketbooks, particularly those at the bottom of the economic ladder: affordable daycare. If Horgan fulfils the promise to extend $10-a-day childcare to more families, Prest told The Pulse on CFRO, that itself would be a significant help to low-income families in the province struggling with their bills and ability to work.

On other issues such as expanding the safe supply of illicit drugs or expanding harm reduction programs, protecting renters from eviction, or effectively finding solutions to homelessness and tent cities, Prest warned voters not to expect anything dramatic.

The NDP has a strong mandate, but it is based on widespread voter support on how the Horgan government handled the COVID-19 emergency, not necessarily on its social policies. With Horgan reaching out across the political aisle immediately following the election, pledging to work with all parties in Victoria, it seems the party is re-assuring British Columbians their main aim may be a steady economic hand at the wheel of government through a crisis.

Meanwhile, advocates for tenants' rights, drug decriminalization or legalization, and other issues say they will continue pushing the new government to go further and act more aggressively on issues vital to many vulnerable communities in Vancouver and the province.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Last Day for Quinsam Road camp

Friday, Oct 30th, was the last day for Quinsam Road camp in Campbell River. There were only three residents remaining and all left peacefully when the RCMP and Ministry of Natural Resources went up to clean the site.

“At one point, there was about twenty people living in four or five different camps,” said Cst. Maury Tyre.

During the five to six months months the property was occupied, the RCMP opened more than 50 case files: for theft, assault; fires.

Tyre added, “The biggest one was environmental issues, which probably why the Ministry of Natural Resources got involved - plus it is their property.”

Nunns Creek Park

Some of the people from Quinsam Park are now camping in in Nunn’s Creek Park, others have found different housing options.

In what some regard as the first step in establishing a right to housing in Canada, a 2015 BC Supreme Court ruling recognized that homeless people have right to sleep in public space.

Constable Tye explained, “That’s part of the reason you see tent cities in many cities. There is no allowance for permanent structures. In Campbell River, I believe they have said people have to have their tents taken down by 9:00 AM. The understanding being that it is still a public space and the rest of the public gets to use those areas. That’s the area that the city of Campbell River has allotted to people, if they do wish to camp.”

The homeless community

There are believed to be about 100 people ‘without permanent housing’ in Campbell River, and much smaller numbers on Quadra and Cortes Islands. Most are couch surfing, living with friends or sleeping in vehicles. A minority camp out.

Twenty are now temporarily housed in the former Rose Bowl restaurant, in Campbell River.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Last Day for Quinsam Road camp

Friday, Oct 30th, was the last day for Quinsam Road camp in Campbell River. There were only three residents remaining and all left peacefully when the RCMP and Ministry of Natural Resources went up to clean the site.

“At one point, there was about twenty people living in four or five different camps,” said Cst. Maury Tyre.

During the five to six months months the property was occupied, the RCMP opened more than 50 case files: for theft, assault; fires.

Tyre added, “The biggest one was environmental issues, which probably why the Ministry of Natural Resources got involved - plus it is their property.”

Nunns Creek Park

Some of the people from Quinsam Park are now camping in in Nunn’s Creek Park, others have found different housing options.

In what some regard as the first step in establishing a right to housing in Canada, a 2015 BC Supreme Court ruling recognized that homeless people have right to sleep in public space.

Constable Tye explained, “That’s part of the reason you see tent cities in many cities. There is no allowance for permanent structures. In Campbell River, I believe they have said people have to have their tents taken down by 9:00 AM. The understanding being that it is still a public space and the rest of the public gets to use those areas. That’s the area that the city of Campbell River has allotted to people, if they do wish to camp.”

The homeless community

There are believed to be about 100 people ‘without permanent housing’ in Campbell River, and much smaller numbers on Quadra and Cortes Islands. Most are couch surfing, living with friends or sleeping in vehicles. A minority camp out.

Twenty are now temporarily housed in the former Rose Bowl restaurant, in Campbell River.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - A little over a year ago, a year since three quarters of the Cortes Island respondents voted to fund the Island’s two community halls through our taxes. Early last December, Strathcona Regional District (SRD) staff received the go-ahead, to start negotiations with the Whaletown Community Club (WCC) and the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA), which manage Gorge and Mansons Halls. The WCC and SCCA still haven’t received any funding or been told what is holding things up.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - A little over a year ago, a year since three quarters of the Cortes Island respondents voted to fund the Island’s two community halls through our taxes. Early last December, Strathcona Regional District (SRD) staff received the go-ahead, to start negotiations with the Whaletown Community Club (WCC) and the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA), which manage Gorge and Mansons Halls. The WCC and SCCA still haven’t received any funding or been told what is holding things up.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The most recent change to Elections BC's Preliminary Voting Results, at the time of this writing, was made at 2:53 PM on October 28, 2020.

Though the numbers changed, the list of winners has not.

The NDP appear to have been elected in eleven Vancouver Island ridings, and Green party MLAs were re-elected in the other two. 

NDP challenger Adam Walker is still a thousand votes ahead of the Liberal incumbent in Parksville-Qualicum, the closest race on Vancouver Island. The last Liberal riding appears to have gone NDP.

In our North Island riding: Michele Babchuk’s lead has widened, so that she is now close to 4,000 votes ahead of her closest challenger. That is now Liberal candidate Norm Facey, who replaced Alexandra Morton as the  runner up.

This increases the number of ridings where the Liberals came in second to four; the Greens are runners up in the remaining seven ridings.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The most recent change to Elections BC's Preliminary Voting Results, at the time of this writing, was made at 2:53 PM on October 28, 2020.

Though the numbers changed, the list of winners has not.

The NDP appear to have been elected in eleven Vancouver Island ridings, and Green party MLAs were re-elected in the other two. 

NDP challenger Adam Walker is still a thousand votes ahead of the Liberal incumbent in Parksville-Qualicum, the closest race on Vancouver Island. The last Liberal riding appears to have gone NDP.

In our North Island riding: Michele Babchuk’s lead has widened, so that she is now close to 4,000 votes ahead of her closest challenger. That is now Liberal candidate Norm Facey, who replaced Alexandra Morton as the  runner up.

This increases the number of ridings where the Liberals came in second to four; the Greens are runners up in the remaining seven ridings.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The pandemic inflicted deep financial wounds on some businesses; others prospered. Things looked pretty uncertain when the crisis reared its head last March but, as manager Eric Hargrave explains, 2020 is turning into the Cortes Natural Food Co-op’s best year ever.

>>> Best Year Ever in terms of sales

“In terms of net profit, it’s the biggest we have ever seen - for the first half of the year at least and we expect that to continue,” he began.

Hargave was pondering a much different scenario last March. He didn’t know if he would need to close the doors and to go to deliveries only, or if the Co-op would have any staff.

“March and April were up about 33%, compared to what they would usually be. That means we were profitable in the Spring, rather than just breaking even. Then the summer was busier than what we expected. We figured we’d be down maybe 25%. We were only down 10%, so it was like a normal summer from a couple of years ago.”

>>> This fall

Sales volumes normally take an abrupt drop after labour day, but that didn’t occur this year.

“Even in September and October, we are 25% up over last year. Which is a lot! - something I wouldn’t have guessed,” said Hargrave. “Just right now, we are starting to see days that are comparable to what they were last year.”

“People are … not coming to the store as often, but they are buying a lot more when they are at the store. They are looking for new and interesting things to take home because they have been cooking for awhile. They are willing to try new things. They aren’t spending that money in restaurants, so they are generally willing to spend it in the grocery store.”

>> A lot of people on this island right now

Hargrave explained, “There are a lot of people on this island right now. I do not know where they are staying, or where they are living, but a lot of people who decided to come when the pandemic started are still here. People who had a second home here, or that sort of thing, but we are also seeing new people. I’m not sure if they are just straight up tourists, or they are coming to visit other people they know here. We still have the occasional person just browsing, who has never been in our store before - which is very different for October.”

In the podcast above, Eric Hargrave also talks about keeping up supplies and how the Co-op Cafe is doing.