Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, has issued the following statement on the work of Larry Campbell, former Vancouver mayor and Canadian senator, to bring people together to find solutions for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) neighbourhood: 

“Larry brings a lifetime of community-based experience, relationships and expertise to this role alongside the people who live and work in the Downtown Eastside. He has been working with people in the community, local organizations, the city, the federal government and others to listen, understand and align the important work being done to address systemic challenges in this community. 

“Larry’s work to date has laid the groundwork for some upcoming next steps – and we are now at a critical juncture in the work he has been doing. He has been connecting with people in the community week after week, reviewing the co-ordination of organizations and initiatives, such as day spaces, to further support their meaningful impact in the neighbourhood, and leveraging his experience as mayor and senator to advocate for and advance efforts toward multi-government co-operation on housing in the DTES. His focus has been bringing the right people together. Now it is time for those partners to take action and create impactful and  long-lasting solutions for this community. We will have more to share on Larry's work to bring together all levels of government in the coming weeks. 

“To allow for this progress to continue, Larry Campbell’s work with government is being extended for six months under the same contract terms and conditions.  

“The Province has taken significant action to respond to the challenges facing the community. Since 2017, the Province has made record investments in new housing, health and public-safety services to build a safer, healthier and more livable community for everyone who calls the DTES home. Since 2023, we have opened 800 new and renovated spaces in the DTES and just in 2026, we are working to open 1,000 more new housing and shelter spaces.

“I want to thank Larry Campbell and others for their continued work in this community and look forward to having more to share soon about next steps in this work.”

Larry Campbell has issued the following statement:

“The problems facing the DTES are serious, but I am hopeful that by working together, we can make a difference. We can find that hope in every shelter, housing project, health clinic, drop-in centre or other important service where devoted front-line staff, including peer workers, deliver quality care with compassion.  

“The issues are not new, but the urgency and severity have increased. We know we can’t build a better neighbourhood in a day, but if we focus on making sure we are helping people struggling now, while also taking the first steps in addressing the core issues, we can plan for and see long-term change and a safer, healthier, more livable Downtown Eastside.”