Sarah Blyth, executive director of the Overdose Prevention Society –

“Larry Campbell, former coroner, senator, and VPD, supported Vancouver’s first safe-injection site when he was mayor. Larry understands harm reduction, poverty and the devastation the overdose crisis has had on the Downtown Eastside community. I can’t think of a person with so much experience spanning decades, and we welcome his leadership and support as we work towards finding solutions to the serious issues we are facing.”

Steve Johnston, executive director of Community Impact Real Estate Society (CIRES) –

“Community Impact Real Estate Society welcomes the appointment of Larry Campbell to support transformative change in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Strong community networks have long driven change in the DTES, but a formal link to the Province has been missing. We’re optimistic Mr. Campbell’s role will help bridge that gap, champion community-led solutions, and strengthen collaboration.”

Chris Livingstone, executive director of Aboriginal Front Door Society –

“I have the pleasure of knowing Mr. Campbell as mayor of Vancouver and trust he can bring the right amount of focus, momentum and solutions for people of the Downtown Eastside. Aboriginal Front Door Society looks forward to working together to connect our urban Indigenous, and street family to better health and lives.”

Wendy Pedersen, executive director of the Downtown Eastside SRO Collaborative –

“We have work to do in the Downtown Eastside related to housing with a holistic, community-based approach. The community has the knowledge, but we don’t have the power to make it happen. Thank you to Minister Boyle and the Premier for giving us this chance to bring people together. I’m hopeful this is a ‘supermoon’ moment where everyone can be in alignment – the different parts of the community and all levels of government. Larry Campbell is a smart choice at a crucial time. Larry learned a lot about the Downtown Eastside when he was the coroner and then mayor, and he ushered in key policy changes that we really needed at that time. I trust he can get the federal government paddling in the same direction with us and help us inspire other struggling communities across Canada. We’re ready for him to help the community, and we are here to help him do it.”

Dean Kurpjuweit, president of Union Gospel Mission –

“Union Gospel Mission looks forward to partnering with Mr. Campbell to support the Downtown Eastside community. We‘re committed to fostering understanding, empathy, and driving meaningful collaboration. Together, we can address systemic challenges with hope and compassion.”

Amanda Burrows, executive director of First United –

“I’m hopeful this appointment signals a genuine commitment to solutions led by the community in the Downtown Eastside, in collaboration across governments. With someone who has experience in the DTES and navigating complex systems, and with transparency and accountability, this role can help strengthen and not replace our strong community leadership. What matters most now is bold action: expanding safe supply, voluntary treatment options and safe, secure, affordable housing. We’ve learned from past efforts that process and communication matter. My hope is that this appointment will amplify Indigenous- and peer-led solutions and move us past consultation toward lasting change.”

Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services –

“From its very beginnings, Vancouver was shaped by the violence of men like Deighton, Stamp and Van Horne, who built a city on unceded xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and Səl̓ílwətaɬ lands, while erasing Indigenous women and girls from its story. Formally known as Skwxwú7mesh community Kum’kum’a’lay and at Luq’luq’I - the Grove of beautiful maple trees, the Downtown Eastside carries that legacy, a neighbourhood where systemic inequities, licit and illicit substance use, and the devaluation of women’s and girl’s lives converge most brutally. For decades, women-serving organizations have stood in that breach, resisting the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence and the national emergency of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. As we move forward, our task is clear: centre women and girls in every intervention. That means investments rooted in equity, wellness and housing so that safety, dignity and justice are not exceptions, but the rule. I am eager to work with all partners to ensure that the voices and needs of women and girls are at the heart of every solution for the Downtown Eastside.”