At midday Thursday, Vancouver police and a city engineering employee stood by a woman occupying a structure at 146 East Hastings. She was told her makeshift home had to be gone by morning.“believe there has been a reduction in street-level violence during the past two weeks,” Sgt. Tania Visintin said. “But it will take some time for the true impact of the decampment process to come into focus.”
Tents continue to pop up on East Hastings nightly, said Sarah Blyth, executive-director of the Overdose Prevention Society. “The streets are obviously cleaner, but at what cost?” asked Geoffrey Bordas, an Overdose Prevention Society peer support worker handing out harm-reduction supplies, including clean pipes and needles to people on the strip Thursday.Article content
After living out of a tent on East Hastings for months, Bordas had formed connections with neighbours who would watch his tent — which housed his bed, clothing and other necessities — while he went to work.