Critics are denouncing Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim91裸聊视频檚 plan for revitalizing the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, with former councillor Jean Swanson saying his proposal to pause supportive housing construction is 91裸聊视频淭rumpian.91裸聊视频�

Swanson, an anti-poverty activist, says Sim91裸聊视频檚 plans to pause net new supportive housing units in Vancouver and reduce the concentration of social services in the Downtown Eastside are 91裸聊视频渘ot compassionate91裸聊视频� and are akin to victim blaming.

She says housing is fundamental to health and safety, and with about 3,000 people on the city91裸聊视频檚 supportive housing wait-list, people 91裸聊视频渨ill probably die on that wait-list91裸聊视频� if no new units are built.

Russell Maynard, who says he has worked in community harm reduction for more than 20 years, says in a post on social media platform X that Sim91裸聊视频檚 plan 91裸聊视频渋s the wrong solution to the right problem.91裸聊视频�

Sim announced his plan at a forum on Thursday held by the Save Our Streets coalition, a group of businesses expressing concerns over crime and public safety in places such as Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Downtown Eastside.

He said 77 per cent of Metro Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 supportive services were located in Vancouver, which has about 25 per cent of the region91裸聊视频檚 population.

Coun. Peter Meiszner, who is a member of Sim91裸聊视频檚 ABC Vancouver party91裸聊视频檚 majority on council, says on X that 91裸聊视频減ositive change is coming91裸聊视频� through the plan, which he calls a 91裸聊视频渓ong overdue change of direction in city policy to build a healthier neighbourhood.91裸聊视频�

Swanson said she wasn91裸聊视频檛 surprised by Sim91裸聊视频檚 announcement, noting the council had already got rid of a number of supportive housing units in the city since coming to power in 2022.

91裸聊视频淚f there91裸聊视频檚 no new supportive housing, we91裸聊视频檙e going to get more homelessness,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淪o he may think that he91裸聊视频檚 integrating Downtown Eastside with the rest of the city by making more people homeless. But those people have to go someplace, and it91裸聊视频檚 not going to benefit anybody to have thousands more people on the streets.91裸聊视频�

Sim91裸聊视频檚 press secretary, Kalith Nanayakkara, said further details of the plan would be made available closer to the date when Sim presents a motion on the proposal to council.