Good morning,

One of the things I love about Vancity Lookout is our independence. 

In an age when the conditions to tell tough stories are  disappearing – with fewer journalists, tighter deadlines, and stringent word counts –  I like to think of Vancity Lookout as a unique publication. We strive to bring in voices you rarely hear from in mainstream media, help you to learn something new, or challenge you to think more deeply about an issue.  

That’s the power of journalism, and how you know it’s a story worth telling. Today’s story, from our reporter Maddi Dellplain, is one of those.

Let’s dive in.

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout founder and managing editor

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 19 🌡️ 11 | 🌤️

Thursday: 21 🌡️ 12 | ☀️

Friday: 22 🌡️ 12 | 🌤️

WORLD CUP

FIFA World Cup conjures familiar, largely unfounded, sex trafficking fears

Woman with a red umbrella outside Wish Drop-in Centre Society. / Wendy D. for WISH

By Maddi Dellplain. Read the story online.

With the FIFA World Cup around the corner, sex workers and the support groups that serve them have felt a growing sense of unease.

“People are definitely nervous,” said Aja Lamb-Hartley, operations manager at the WISH Drop-In Centre Society, an organization that offers various services for Vancouver’s street-based sex workers. 

The increase in visitors to the city means greater risk of negative interactions; closures of roads around major arenas may disrupt areas where some sex workers normally work; and the increased traffic through East Hastings between downtown and the fan festival at the PNE will cut through hubs for vital services for WISH’s clients, Lamb-Hartley told Vancity Lookout. 

However, she added that the biggest concerns ahead of the international sporting event have to do with law enforcement. “We definitely hear concerns about the increased police presence for sure…It’s going to impact the community in a big way.”

While selling sex is not illegal in Canada, it is illegal to purchase sex work services or offer third-party support, such as running ads or renting space for sex workers. 

With a significant increase in police presence, Lamb-Hartley said that sex workers typically go to greater lengths to avoid detection, often resulting in riskier situations with less ability to screen clients and restricted access to their usual supports. 

Of particular concern, said Lamb-Hartley, is the return of a familiar campaign: An increased crackdown on “sex trafficking” ahead of the games. 

“[Claims of increased sex trafficking] have been repeated regularly for a long time, especially in the past 20 years,” said Lamb-Hartley. Since the adoption of the UN protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in 2000, the sex worker community has seen a huge “increase in harassment and arrest,” she said.

Several anti-trafficking campaigns, tied directly with law enforcement and non-governmental organizations, have recently launched in Vancouver. The “It’s a Penalty” campaign began May 14 and will run throughout the World Cup events to "mobilize governments, law enforcement, businesses and civil society to prevent abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.” 

Many local organizations have already joined the campaign, with plans to run ads at Vancouver International Airport. The RCMP has also recently released plans for a human trafficking awareness initiative aimed at BC’s restaurant and hospitality sector. 

But Lamb-Hartley said the campaigns have little credible evidence behind them. Worse, they often work to “conflate sex work with sex trafficking,” she added. 

“It’s intentionally confusing and obtuse, and it may lead to the incorrect assumption that sex work is trafficking. That just further marginalizes sex workers.”

A familiar sex trafficking story

The largely unfounded sex trafficking warnings ahead of major world events are not a new phenomenon. 

During the 2010 Olympics, public awareness campaigns launched primarily by non-government organizations and faith-based groups, including Christian-based organization REED (Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity) and the Salvation Army, were heavily promoted ahead of the event. 

Despite significant media and government attention to the issue, a 2013 Public Safety Canada report found that “there was no concrete or verifiable evidence of trafficking in persons for the purposes of sexual or labour exploitation linked to the 2010 Olympic Games.” 

It also noted that by August 2010, no human trafficking incidents connected with the 2010 Olympics had reached the level of investigation. Another report found that from 2006 to 2018, there were only 92 prosecuted human trafficking cases in Canada. 

The Public Safety Canada report stated that there was also no significant “spike in demand for paid sexual services during the Olympic Games” nor at “less family-oriented events” like the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, where the “anticipated or forecasted level of demand did not materialize.” 

Finally, it cautioned that “divergent understandings of what constitutes human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and differing strategies to combat it produced a critical challenge to the development of coordinated and… balanced public awareness and media campaigns.” 

News coverage at the time showed that many of the anti-trafficking campaigns ahead of the Olympics often used outlandish imagery and frequently blurred the lines between trafficking and consensual sex work. 

The Salvation Army ran a controversial ad campaign called “The Truth Isn’t Sexy” that advocates called “misleading” and “degrading to sex workers.” The Salvation Army’s website even encouraged participants to dress mannequins in bloodied dresses and host prayer walks outside of strip clubs and massage parlours. 

The Salvation Army has again signed on to the “It’s A Penalty” campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Impacts on migrant sex workers

There is stronger evidence for trafficking of labour ahead of major world sporting events. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a notable example of this. For this tournament, advocates have raised concerns related to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker program.

However, fears of mass sex trafficking remain largely unsupported, said Crystal Laderas, communications manager at SWAN Vancouver, an organization that supports migrant women in the indoor sex industry. 

“This myth has been debunked over and over, but we continue to see cities across North America that are hosting FIFA invest in these anti-trafficking approaches that often just target sex workers, including immigrant and migrant sex workers,” Laderas said. 

Crystal Laderas performing STBBI dry blood spot testing on a client. / SWAN Vancouver

The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women has called the anti-trafficking campaigns a “familiar moral panic,” saying the campaigns’ aims are “ineffective” at reducing actual human trafficking and instead largely work to “eradicate the sex industry.”

The Vancouver International Airport partnered with the Not In My City organization in November 2023 to develop anti-trafficking measures and awareness campaigns, which they plan to scale up during the FIFA World Cup. 

But Laderas said she is concerned that many of these approaches will just “encourage people to profile others” using ambiguous evidence such as “someone carrying too much baggage or not enough, people with tattoos or someone with two cell phones.”

A report released by SWAN warns that many of these campaigns backfire against marginalized groups by encouraging hypervigilance, excessive surveillance, and racial profiling of suspected victims and offenders. 

During the FIFA World Cup, Laderas said that many of the sex workers that SWAN works with plan to avoid the downtown core entirely. “They just don’t want any interactions with the police,” she said. 

For migrant sex workers and those on temporary visas, there is an additional layer of risk. “If they’re found to be doing sex work, they can be deported,” Laderas said. 

A recent investigation by De Facto found that collaboration between police and the Canada Border Services Agency has increased, with the Vancouver Police Department calling the CBSA for immigration checks 80 per cent more in 2023 than the previous year. 

Migrant sex workers in particular are especially reluctant to call the police if they have been the victim of a crime, and are even hesitant to seek medical attention, Laderas said. “Even if women are attacked on the job and require urgent care, they won’t go to an emergency room.”

In March, the Richmond RCMP and the BC Counter Human Trafficking Unit made multiple arrests after undercover officers identified more than 100 people using online platforms to arrange sexual service transactions. 

According to the Richmond RCMP’s press release, the recent sting operation was purported to target people purchasing sex work to “reduce the demand” that “fuels human trafficking.” 

But for Laderas, what these operations do is “blur the lines” between consensual sex work and trafficking and “increase marginalization for sex workers in the Lower Mainland.”

“The police continue to say they understand the difference between sex work and human trafficking, but they demonstrate time and time again that they do not treat the two issues very differently at all,” Laderas said. “Usually [these raids] just end up impacting consensual sex workers.”

Chronic underfunding and slashes to support services

At the same time that organizations have seen an increase in anti-trafficking investment, there have been continued cuts to sex worker safety policies. 

For the first time in a few years, the provincial budget had no recommendations for sex work support or support organizations. 

“As we face austerity measures in all kinds of government budgets, often, sex work supports are on the list of some of the first to be reduced,” Lamb-Hartley said. 

In August 2025, the PACE Society, an organization that had served Vancouver’s sex work community for over 30 years, shut its doors. In the last year, the WISH Drop-in Centre had to temporarily shutter its drop-in program, gradually reopening at reduced hours last fall. 

In April, the City of Vancouver also eliminated one of two sex worker liaison positions, which had been created as a recommendation from the 2012 report from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. 

“It’s not clear why this position specifically needed to be cut,” Laderas said. “It’s an important liaison between sex worker organizations, the city and the police, and any cut to services that help prevent violence against sex workers is going to be devastating.” 

Ahead of the games, SWAN and WISH told Vancity Lookout that they are still in contact with the City of Vancouver’s FIFA Committee about how the city can support “the community we support because of disruptions caused by the World Cup.”

To address the disconnection from vital services, SWAN has secured a second location outside downtown Vancouver to host its in-person English classes, STBBI (sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections) testing drop-ins, and other in-person support services during the games. WISH said it will likely also extend the hours of its outreach services during the games. 

The two organizations, alongside PACE Society, Living in Community Society, and RainCity Housing, released a joint statement in April demanding that the city reinstate the sex worker planner position. 

The decision on whether to reinstate the position will be raised during the city council meeting on Wednesday, May 20. 

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THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

-20%

The percentage of Vancouver hotel room bookings for this June, compared to the same month last year. The World Cup was supposed to fill Vancouver’s hotels to the brim, but that hasn’t happened yet. Tourism promoters are “cautiously optimistic” that hotel bookings will increase over the next few weeks. [Vancouver Sun]

THE AGENDA

🚍 Contract talks between TransLink and Unifor, which operate Coast Mountain Bus Company, have broken down, and the union is now seeking a strike mandate from members. The union represents 4,000 bus drivers and 1,100 skilled trades workers. The agreement expired on March 31. One of the major demands is access to washroom breaks during working hours. Read more. [CityNews]

🏒 It’s a real spring house cleaning over at Rogers Arena. The Canucks fired head coach Adam Foote after just one year at the helm, and let the team’s three assistant coaches go as well. Manny Malhotra, a former Canucks player and current head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, is among those in the running to be the next coach. Read more. [CBC]

♻️ New data shows that 30-35 per cent of apartment dwellers in Metro Vancouver recycle compared to 60-65 per cent for those living in single-family homes. Part of the problem, according to stakeholder groups, is that recycling’s often more complicated in apartments, and some cities don’t offer the same collection services for the different housing types. Read more. [CBC]

🚗 Broadway between Main and Quebec streets is set to reopen today, with one lane in each direction. All four lanes will be opened in July. 

🚍 Bus stops along Hastings Street could soon look different downtown. TransLink is working with the city to remove or relocate one in four bus stops to reduce delays, and would primarily impact 14, 16, 20, R5, N20 and N35. Read more. [Urbanized]

🚗 Get ready to change up your commute on Saturday if you use Pacific Boulevard. The street will be closed as part of FIFA preparations, specifically next to BC Place between the Cambie Street Bridge and Carrall Street. During game matches, you won’t be able to access the stadium from Stadium Chinatown or Yaletown Roundhouse. To access the stadium, you’ll have to get off at Main Street-Science World. Read more. [CBC]

🏆 Vancouver’s City Hall could soon be hosting the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. The group has had to vacate BC Place during the FIFA World Cup. On Tuesday, council voted unanimously to explore hosting a pop-up exhibition temporarily during the tournament. Read more. ($). [Vancouver Sun]

HOME OF THE WEEK

Realtor.ca

It was great beach weather this weekend, which is expected to last much of the week. But is beach living affordable?

Obviously not in Vancouver, but we can dream! Deep in the heart of Kits, you’ll find this beautiful two-bedroom, one bathroom apartment. It may be the perfect place to host friends, with a massive patio, a kitchen layout designed for parties, all in a quiet little area.

Of course, these types of places don’t come cheap… 

SPONSORED BY WILLFUL

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You've earned the cottage trips, the patios, and the long weekends ahead. Before summer takes over entirely, take 20 minutes and write your will. It's free to start, and protects the people who make summer worth it. Start at Willful.

VANCOUVER ARTS GUIDE

Performance

Looking for a fun chaotic comedy? The Play That Goes Wrong is all about, well, a play that goes hilariously wrong in a slapstick fashion. It’s on from Jun. 18-Aug 6 at the Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island.

If you think an hour standup show is hard, imagine doing it for 24 hours… That’s what JUNO-nominated comedian Graham Clark will be doing on May 22, starting at 8 p.m. at the Little Mountain Gallery. Proceeds from the show will go towards the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre. 

Those looking for a theatre performance for children (eight and up) should check out Me & the Forest, featuring massive puppets and immersive audio, with visitors wearing wireless headphones, allowing you to connect with nature. On at Ron Basford Park Amphitheatre from May 29 to June 14. 

Vancouver’s Spencer Krug, from the popular indie band Wolf Parade, has a new album out that you can stream now. He’ll be touring through Vancouver on June 5 at St. James Hall.

Art

One of the biggest art shows of the year is on until May 27. Emily Carr University’s The Show features works from the student grad class. One nice thing? It’s open late until 11 p.m., and there’s also an online exhibit to explore. 

Opened since 2024 at National and Chess streets on False Creek Flats, but rarely discussed, you’ll find a public art project of a cut-away of a typical urban street, exploring the infrastructure that you regularly find under your feet. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

Movies

The controversial Wizard of the Kremlin, featuring Jude Law, is on this week at VIFF. You can also catch the highly lauded Blue Heron, about a Hungarian immigrant family in the 1990s on Vancouver Island. 

It’s a chock-full schedule at the RIO, with the biting satire Sorry to Bother You, cult-classic Fight Club, Terminator 1 and 2 and for all your food lovers, Ratatouille.

Submit your event and it could appear here and reach 30,000+ Vancouver locals.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• The Smashing Pumpkins are hitting up Vancouver on Nov. 5. 

• Yaletown is hosting a ton of events during the World Cup. [Straight]

• Kitsilano Beach basketball courts got a refresh. [Urbanized]

• Here’s a cool edit of tankers along English Beach.

• Ever imagine what GTA Vancouver would look like? 

• Vancouver is getting a tequila and agave festival on May 30.

Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

GAME TIME

Today’s Wordle was a big theme in today’s newsletter. Can you work out what it is?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Nate Lewis

The repairs to Broadway between Main and Quebec were being wrapped up last week, with the block set to reopen to vehicles today 👷

With the FIFA World Cup around the corner, sex workers and the support groups that serve them have felt a growing sense of unease.

“People are definitely nervous,” said Aja Lamb-Hartley, operations manager at the WISH Drop-In Centre Society, an organization that offers various services for Vancouver’s street-based sex workers. 

The increase in visitors to the city means greater risk of negative interactions; closures of roads around major arenas may disrupt areas where some sex workers normally work; and the increased traffic through East Hastings between downtown and the fan festival at the PNE will cut through hubs for vital services for WISH’s clients, Lamb-Hartley told Vancity Lookout. 

However, she added that the biggest concerns ahead of the international sporting event have to do with law enforcement. “We definitely hear concerns about the increased police presence for sure…It’s going to impact the community in a big way.”

While selling sex is not illegal in Canada, it is illegal to purchase sex work services or offer third-party support, such as running ads or renting space for sex workers. 

With a significant increase in police presence, Lamb-Hartley said that sex workers typically go to greater lengths to avoid detection, often resulting in riskier situations with less ability to screen clients and restricted access to their usual supports. 

Of particular concern, said Lamb-Hartley, is the return of a familiar campaign: An increased crackdown on “sex trafficking” ahead of the games. 

“[Claims of increased sex trafficking] have been repeated regularly for a long time, especially in the past 20 years,” said Lamb-Hartley. Since the adoption of the UN protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in 2000, the sex worker community has seen a huge “increase in harassment and arrest,” she said.

Several anti-trafficking campaigns, tied directly with law enforcement and non-governmental organizations, have recently launched in Vancouver. The “It’s a Penalty” campaign began May 14 and will run throughout the World Cup events to "mobilize governments, law enforcement, businesses and civil society to prevent abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.” 

Many local organizations have already joined the campaign, with plans to run ads at Vancouver International Airport. The RCMP has also recently released plans for a human trafficking awareness initiative aimed at BC’s restaurant and hospitality sector. 

But Lamb-Hartley said the campaigns have little credible evidence behind them. Worse, they often work to “conflate sex work with sex trafficking,” she added. 

“It’s intentionally confusing and obtuse, and it may lead to the incorrect assumption that sex work is trafficking. That just further marginalizes sex workers.”

A familiar sex trafficking story

The largely unfounded sex trafficking warnings ahead of major world events are not a new phenomenon. 

During the 2010 Olympics, public awareness campaigns launched primarily by non-government organizations and faith-based groups, including Christian-based organization REED (Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity) and the Salvation Army, were heavily promoted ahead of the event. 

Despite significant media and government attention to the issue, a 2013 Public Safety Canada report found that “there was no concrete or verifiable evidence of trafficking in persons for the purposes of sexual or labour exploitation linked to the 2010 Olympic Games.” 

It also noted that by August 2010, no human trafficking incidents connected with the 2010 Olympics had reached the level of investigation. Another report found that from 2006 to 2018, there were only 92 prosecuted human trafficking cases in Canada. 

The Public Safety Canada report stated that there was also no significant “spike in demand for paid sexual services during the Olympic Games” nor at “less family-oriented events” like the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, where the “anticipated or forecasted level of demand did not materialize.” 

Finally, it cautioned that “divergent understandings of what constitutes human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and differing strategies to combat it produced a critical challenge to the development of coordinated and… balanced public awareness and media campaigns.” 

News coverage at the time showed that many of the anti-trafficking campaigns ahead of the Olympics often used outlandish imagery and frequently blurred the lines between trafficking and consensual sex work. 

The Salvation Army ran a controversial ad campaign called “The Truth Isn’t Sexy” that advocates called “misleading” and “degrading to sex workers.” The Salvation Army’s website even encouraged participants to dress mannequins in bloodied dresses and host prayer walks outside of strip clubs and massage parlours. 

The Salvation Army has again signed on to the “It’s A Penalty” campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Impacts on migrant sex workers

There is stronger evidence for trafficking of labour ahead of major world sporting events. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a notable example of this. For this tournament, advocates have raised concerns related to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker program.

However, fears of mass sex trafficking remain largely unsupported, said Crystal Laderas, communications manager at SWAN Vancouver, an organization that supports migrant women in the indoor sex industry. 

“This myth has been debunked over and over, but we continue to see cities across North America that are hosting FIFA invest in these anti-trafficking approaches that often just target sex workers, including immigrant and migrant sex workers,” Laderas said. 

Crystal Laderas performing STBBI dry blood spot testing on a client. / SWAN Vancouver

The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women has called the anti-trafficking campaigns a “familiar moral panic,” saying the campaigns’ aims are “ineffective” at reducing actual human trafficking and instead largely work to “eradicate the sex industry.”

The Vancouver International Airport partnered with the Not In My City organization in November 2023 to develop anti-trafficking measures and awareness campaigns, which they plan to scale up during the FIFA World Cup. 

But Laderas said she is concerned that many of these approaches will just “encourage people to profile others” using ambiguous evidence such as “someone carrying too much baggage or not enough, people with tattoos or someone with two cell phones.”

A report released by SWAN warns that many of these campaigns backfire against marginalized groups by encouraging hypervigilance, excessive surveillance, and racial profiling of suspected victims and offenders. 

During the FIFA World Cup, Laderas said that many of the sex workers that SWAN works with plan to avoid the downtown core entirely. “They just don’t want any interactions with the police,” she said. 

For migrant sex workers and those on temporary visas, there is an additional layer of risk. “If they’re found to be doing sex work, they can be deported,” Laderas said. 

A recent investigation by De Facto found that collaboration between police and the Canada Border Services Agency has increased, with the Vancouver Police Department calling the CBSA for immigration checks 80 per cent more in 2023 than the previous year. 

Migrant sex workers in particular are especially reluctant to call the police if they have been the victim of a crime, and are even hesitant to seek medical attention, Laderas said. “Even if women are attacked on the job and require urgent care, they won’t go to an emergency room.”

In March, the Richmond RCMP and the BC Counter Human Trafficking Unit made multiple arrests after undercover officers identified more than 100 people using online platforms to arrange sexual service transactions. 

According to the Richmond RCMP’s press release, the recent sting operation was purported to target people purchasing sex work to “reduce the demand” that “fuels human trafficking.” 

But for Laderas, what these operations do is “blur the lines” between consensual sex work and trafficking and “increase marginalization for sex workers in the Lower Mainland.”

“The police continue to say they understand the difference between sex work and human trafficking, but they demonstrate time and time again that they do not treat the two issues very differently at all,” Laderas said. “Usually [these raids] just end up impacting consensual sex workers.”

Chronic underfunding and slashes to support services

At the same time that organizations have seen an increase in anti-trafficking investment, there have been continued cuts to sex worker safety policies. 

For the first time in a few years, the provincial budget had no recommendations for sex work support or support organizations. 

“As we face austerity measures in all kinds of government budgets, often, sex work supports are on the list of some of the first to be reduced,” Lamb-Hartley said. 

In August 2025, the PACE Society, an organization that had served Vancouver’s sex work community for over 30 years, shut its doors. In the last year, the WISH Drop-in Centre had to temporarily shutter its drop-in program, gradually reopening at reduced hours last fall. 

In April, the City of Vancouver also eliminated one of two sex worker liaison positions, which had been created as a recommendation from the 2012 report from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. 

“It’s not clear why this position specifically needed to be cut,” Laderas said. “It’s an important liaison between sex worker organizations, the city and the police, and any cut to services that help prevent violence against sex workers is going to be devastating.” 

Ahead of the games, SWAN and WISH told Vancity Lookout that they are still in contact with the City of Vancouver’s FIFA Committee about how the city can support “the community we support because of disruptions caused by the World Cup.”

To address the disconnection from vital services, SWAN has secured a second location outside downtown Vancouver to host its in-person English classes, STBBI (sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections) testing drop-ins, and other in-person support services during the games. WISH said it will likely also extend the hours of its outreach services during the games. 

The two organizations, alongside PACE Society, Living in Community Society, and RainCity Housing, released a joint statement in April demanding that the city reinstate the sex worker planner position. 

The decision on whether to reinstate the position will be raised during the city council meeting on Wednesday, May 20. 

Did you know the Lookout relies on readers like you to help locals discover our journalism? If you have a moment, please consider sharing this story: Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin | Bluesky | Email | Copy this url

Have a comment on a story? Submit it to our Comment Corner and it might be included in a newsletter: Share your comment

Good morning, 

Nate with you today. Early this week, I appeared on the Mike Smyth Show on CKNW to talk about our recent story on FIFA details that will matter to Vancouverites during the tournament (it’s less than a month away!). It was a quick five-minute hit, and everything went smoothly, but I was a bit nervous beforehand since I hadn’t gone on the radio since journalism school.  

A few days later, Geoff and I were attending a journalism conference at UBC. One of the presenters was enumerating all the different platforms and mediums that journalists and the publications that employ them are using to reach a wider audience. 

“Well, we don’t have a podcast,” Geoff leaned in to say. “Yet,” I replied.  

In a rapidly evolving media landscape, we’re always thinking about how to harness different formats to better serve you, our audience, like with our recently launched City Hall Insider. Today, I can share that we have no plans to launch a Lookout podcast. Yet. 

With that, let’s dial in to today’s stories!

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout

Editor’s note: We’re taking a break this long weekend, so there won’t be a newsletter this coming Monday. 

As always, you can send your tips, leads, and story ideas to Nate at nate@vancitylookout.com.

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Friday: 10 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

Saturday: 14 🌡️ 7 | 🌤️

Sunday: 17 🌡️ 8 | 🌤️

Monday: 18 🌡️ 11 | 🌤️

STANLEY PARK

“Everything has its life”: The end of the Stanley Park Train

A set piece for Mortal Coil's 2016 Ghost Train installation / Tim Matheson

Read the story online.

For 60 years, the Stanley Park Miniature Train drew locals and tourists to a 2-kilometre rail track in the centre of Stanley Park – near the Vancouver Aquarium and the historic Indigenous village of X̱wáyx̱way – in a forested area that was cleared by a typhoon in 1962. 

Now, it seems the train has run its last trip. “Everything has its life,” Mortal Coil Performance’s general manager Marietta Kozak told Vancity Lookout.

Since 1997, the local non-profit theatre production company had created displays and performances to animate the Ghost Train, an annual Halloween event, until its contract was cancelled after the train was shut down in late 2024. 

Mortal Coil “devised the entire [Ghost Train production],” Kozak said, explaining how they constructed ambitious sets, including a huge puppet, and staged scenes in the forest, in view of the train, with actors playing out spooky, but not scary, scenes.

“Our mandate from the park board was it had to be accessible to kids over the age of five … It was important to us to maintain a mood without freaking out the kids [but] we would allow the actors to get scarier as the evening went on,” Kozak said. 

A scene from Mortal Coil's Ghost Train installation in 2014 / Tim Matheson, submitted by Mortal Coil

The train’s long history appears to be at its end, at least under its current setup, with the park board currently in the process of soliciting new ideas and business plans for an “updated and reimagined attraction” at the Stanley Park Train site.

The areas being considered for “attraction use and development under this opportunity include the Stanley Park Train site as well as the former location of the Children’s Farmyard,” according to a park board spokesperson. 

Last November, the park board dipped its toe into hosting third-party attractions, with a temporary Harry Potter-themed event at the site. The choice was criticized at the time for high ticket prices and its connection to author J.K. Rowling and her anti-trans advocacy — but notably, it also marked a shift away from the decades-long programming around the train, towards higher-priced third-party events.

For the better part of three decades, the train, which operated regularly during the summer, was dressed up for themed events throughout the year, including Bright Nights around Christmas, the Ghost Train around Halloween, and an Easter-themed display in April.

“When [the] Ghost Train started, things were way different. There weren't other Halloween spectacles. There weren't other big things to do with your kids in that month. [Between the mid ‘90s when Ghost Train] started to when we finished it 25-30 years later, that had changed completely,” Kozak said.

The train and its infrastructure had been running on fumes for years. Since 2020, the popular attraction had been plagued by cancellations due to the pandemic, a failed safety inspection, and coyote attacks in Stanley Park. Since 2019, the train has cumulatively lost nearly $3 million, according to a July 2025 park board report.

Kozak said Mortal Coil was “always treated with a lot of respect” by the park board during those disruptions.

The cancellations were difficult for all the actors, artists, writers, and directors, who “put so much time into something which they wanted to see fulfilled,” Mortal Coil’s artistic director, and Kozak’s husband, Peter Hall told Vancity Lookout.

For its Halloween production, Mortal Coil employed over 60 artists, and an additional 30 aspiring actors from high schools in Vancouver and across the Lower Mainland.

“The loss here is the ongoing fall and winter income that went to those artists,” Kozak said. “A lot of them did count on it, because it was their Christmas money, or their ability to pay their rent in September and October.”

During Bright Nights in late 2024, the train was closed after an operator fell ill due to exhaust from one of the train locomotives, according to CBC. It now looks like that closure was the final nail in the proverbial coffin, an unceremonious end to an attraction that had operated since 1964. 

“We knew, even pre-COVID, that there were maintenance issues,” Kozak said. In her opinion, “everybody's heart was in the right place in terms of trying to make [it] go forward,” but it wasn’t possible due to the cost of repairs and upgrades.

The 2025 park board report stated it would have cost $8 million to repair and upgrade the existing train, tracks, and building. Kozak said part of that cost would be to replace the entire train track. The report also noted that the disruptions were affecting its reputation, stating that the operational issues “reflect poorly” on the park board and the city. 

Kozak said the company had been on notice since the pandemic, and park board staff kept them aware of what was happening with the train prior to Mortal Coil’s contract being cancelled. “None of this was ever a surprise,” she said, adding that the park board staff she dealt with were “completely fair about everything.” 

After the 2024 cancellation, the park board suspended train operations indefinitely while it “explored new operating models and partnerships for the beloved attraction,” through a request for expressions of interest from third parties. 

The closure will continue for the rest of the year, a park board spokesperson confirmed, adding “at this stage, there are no plans to permanently decommission [the train and its related infrastructure] until a future path forward for the attraction is decided on.” 

The results of the expression of interest process will be presented to park board commissioners in late June, the next step in determining future plans for the site. 

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THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

11

The number of “AI agents” Mayor Ken Sim says he has working for him, at an announcement about AI data centres. He later clarified that he uses the AI tools he referenced on a personal computer, and doesn’t use them to make city decisions or access confidential information. [CBC]

THE AGENDA

📝 An investigation from the city’s integrity commissioner found Mayor Ken Sim harassed Coun. Sean Orr on two occasions in 2025. In April, Sim held a press conference at City Hall where he accused Orr of antisemitism based on past social media posts. In that case, the investigation found Sim “objectively harassed” Orr and violated city council’s code of conduct by misusing the influence of the Mayor’s Office. It also found Sim continued his harassment of Orr in October, through a social media post suggesting Orr supported a terrorist organization and antisemitism, based on his attendance at a pro-Palestine rally. Read more. [Vancity Lookout, COV]

🗳️ Vancouver MLA Dallas Brodie could soon face a recall. Representing Vancouver-Quilchena, the southwest part of Vancouver, Brodie was kicked out of the BC Conservative Party for spreading false statements and mocking residential school survivors, including those who faced sexual abuse. For a recall petition to be successful, 40 per cent, or 15,232 in this case, of eligible voters must sign the petition. If successful, the seat becomes vacant, and a byelection must be called within 90 days. Read more. [CTV]

👀 Representatives of the Whitecaps and Major League Soccer met with members of the provincial and federal governments, the city, and local First Nations to discuss keeping the Whitecaps in Vancouver, including improving the “game-day economic model” at BC Place. Read more. [CBC]  

⛴️ If it felt like there have been more cancellations than normal at BC Ferries lately, you are indeed correct. New data shows that cancellations reached a peak last year, totalling 2,809 from April 2024 to March 2025, based on an analysis of nine years of data. Weather was the main culprit last year, followed by mechanical issues. Cancellations due to staffing issues have fallen since 2023, when it was a major factor. Read more. [CBC]

🧑‍💼 Hootsuite’s CEO has stepped down after dealing with blowback from the company’s contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Ryan Holmes, Hootsuite’s founder and former CEO, has returned to the company on an interim basis. Advocacy groups are calling on Holmes to drop the contract, which provides social media monitoring services for ICE. Read more. [Times Colonist]

🤝 The provincial government is launching BC Business House as part of the World Cup, in an effort to highlight local BC industries through local events and showcases. It will run from June 12 to July 7 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. 

🚍 For everyone saying they need to drive to Stanley Park, there will be another option this summer. The new Stanley Park bus route will start at Waterfront Station and run through the park. However, it will only run on weekends from mid-April to early September. Read more. [Urbanized]

💰 That’s a costly mistake… The infrastructure company Acciona has paid Metro Vancouver $235 million as part of a settlement over the construction of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant. Now that legal proceedings are over, Metro Vancouver has announced an independent review of the beleaguered project, as costs rose from $700 million to over $1 billion. Read more. [CBC]

📮 The city has launched a pilot program to expand the use of licence plate recognition cameras to issue parking tickets by mail instead of being placed on a vehicle. The pilot will start in three areas: Commercial Drive, including around Commercial-Broadway Station, Joyce Station , and Oakridge. 

🏒🏒 The twins are back leading the Canucks! Henrik and Daniel Sedin have been promoted to co-presidents of hockey operations, replacing Jim Rutherford. They’ll join Ryan Johnson, another former Canuck, who has been named general manager. Read more. [Sportsnet]

⚽ Another match, another win for the Whitecaps. The ‘Caps beat FC Dallas 3-2 on the road, extending their unbeaten streak to seven games, and now sit in first place in the MLS standings. 

WEEKEND EVENT GUIDE

Unison Festival | Various locations | May 15-18 | Live choral music with multiple shows and events | Tickets various prices

Lino Printmaking Workshop | 118 W Hastings |  May 15, 6 p.m.Learn how to carve and print your own designs | Tickets $28

SUNWAVE 2026 | Strange Fellows Brewing | May 16, 4 p.m. | Back lot party with music and beer | Tickets $24

The PNE | Playland, 2901 E. Hastings St. | May 16-Aug. 21 Multiple rides, music and more at the popular summer event, which opens this Saturday | Tickets various prices

5x Art party | Surrey Civic Plaza | May 16, 2 p.m. | Punjabi music festival with Juno-nominated musicians | Free

BMO Day of Music | Multiple locations | May 16, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. | Free music shows throughout the city, including a final show with the Vancouver Symphony Orchesta

IGNITE! Youth Festival | The Cultch | Until May 17 | Plays, dance, comedy and more performances from youths | Tickets various prices

Dumplings for Equity | 487 Alexander Street | May 17, 12:30 p.m. | Celebrate Asian Heritage Month with a private culinary experience for a deep dive into the world of dumplings | Tickets $55

Live Band Dance | Strange Fellows Brewing | May 17, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. | Come swing dance adjust enjoy the music | Free

Mountains on Stage Summer Edition | The Cinemateque | May 19, 7 p.m. | Film event celebrating the best mountain films | Tickets $28

Summer Evening Run Series | The RIGHT Shoe | May 21, 6 p.m. | 6km run on the Seawall with the opportunity to try out some new HOKAs | Tickets $16

Vancouver Anime-Fest | Executive Hotel Vancouver Airport, Richmond | May 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Panels, cosplay and everything you love about anime | Tickets $14

Want to see your event here? Submit them to our event calendar. 

Submit your event and it could appear here and reach 30,000+ Vancouver locals

CITY HALL

A list of city hall meetings and public consultations you can watch or attend

Vancouver City Hall / Vancity Lookout

In our latest edition of the City Hall Insider, we’ve compiled a handy list you can refer to in the coming weeks if you want to get involved in civic meetings or consultations.

Find the meetings

POLL

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Nate Lewis

FIFA is coming ⚽

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Fraser Street is getting a new Portuguese restaurant. [Scout] 

• Equinox Gallery is showcasing photos from Vancouver’s most famous street photographer, starting on May 30. 

• A Whitecaps fan group, the Southsiders, have partnered with Container Brewing to launch a new beer, the Save the Caps Lager.

• The full list of vendors at the Oakridge Park’s Time Out Market has been announced, including PiDGin, Blnd Tger and España. [Dished]  

• Dragon Boat BC is relaunching its $2 Community Paddling Day series for Vancouverites who want to try dragon boat paddling. The first event kicks off in Olympic Village on Sunday, May 24.

Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

VANCOUVER GUESSER

Nate Lewis

Many of you thought the lovely garden we featured last week was in Kits, but it was actually in Mount Pleasant! For this week’s Guesser, can you tell me what neighbourhood this is in? (Hint: I gave you the answer a few weeks ago).

For 60 years, the Stanley Park Miniature Train drew locals and tourists to a 2-kilometre rail track in the centre of Stanley Park – near the Vancouver Aquarium and the historic Indigenous village of X̱wáyx̱way – in a forested area that was cleared by a typhoon in 1962. 

Now, it seems the train has run its last trip. “Everything has its life,” Mortal Coil Performance’s general manager Marietta Kozak told Vancity Lookout.

Since 1997, the local non-profit theatre production company had created displays and performances to animate the Ghost Train, an annual Halloween event, until its contract was cancelled after the train was shut down in late 2024. 

Mortal Coil “devised the entire [Ghost Train production],” Kozak said, explaining how they constructed ambitious sets, including a huge puppet, and staged scenes in the forest, in view of the train, with actors playing out spooky, but not scary, scenes.

“Our mandate from the park board was it had to be accessible to kids over the age of five … It was important to us to maintain a mood without freaking out the kids [but] we would allow the actors to get scarier as the evening went on,” Kozak said. 

A scene from Mortal Coil's 2014 Ghost Train installation / Tim Matheson, submitted by Mortal Coil

The train’s long history appears to be at its end, at least under its current setup, with the park board currently in the process of soliciting new ideas and business plans for an “updated and reimagined attraction” at the Stanley Park Train site.

The areas being considered for “attraction use and development under this opportunity include the Stanley Park Train site as well as the former location of the Children’s Farmyard,” according to a park board spokesperson. 

Last November, the park board dipped its toe into hosting third-party attractions, with a temporary Harry Potter-themed event at the site. The choice was criticized at the time for high ticket prices and its connection to author J.K. Rowling and her anti-trans advocacy — but notably, it also marked a shift away from the decades-long programming around the train, towards higher-priced third-party events.

For the better part of three decades, the train, which operated regularly during the summer, was dressed up for themed events throughout the year, including Bright Nights around Christmas, the Ghost Train around Halloween, and an Easter-themed display in April.

“When [the] Ghost Train started, things were way different. There weren't other Halloween spectacles. There weren't other big things to do with your kids in that month. [Between the mid ‘90s when Ghost Train] started to when we finished it 25-30 years later, that had changed completely,” Kozak said.

The train and its infrastructure had been running on fumes for years. Since 2020, the popular attraction had been plagued by cancellations due to the pandemic, a failed safety inspection, and coyote attacks in Stanley Park. Since 2019, the train has cumulatively lost nearly $3 million, according to a July 2025 park board report.

Kozak said Mortal Coil was “always treated with a lot of respect” by the park board during those disruptions.

The cancellations were difficult for all the actors, artists, writers, and directors, who “put so much time into something which they wanted to see fulfilled,” Mortal Coil’s artistic director, and Kozak’s husband, Peter Hall told Vancity Lookout.

For its Halloween production, Mortal Coil employed over 60 artists, and an additional 30 aspiring actors from high schools in Vancouver and across the Lower Mainland.

“The loss here is the ongoing fall and winter income that went to those artists,” Kozak said. “A lot of them did count on it, because it was their Christmas money, or their ability to pay their rent in September and October.”

During Bright Nights in late 2024, the train was closed after an operator fell ill due to exhaust from one of the train locomotives, according to CBC. It now looks like that closure was the final nail in the proverbial coffin, an unceremonious end to an attraction that had operated since 1964. 

“We knew, even pre-COVID, that there were maintenance issues,” Kozak said. In her opinion, “everybody's heart was in the right place in terms of trying to make [it] go forward,” but it wasn’t possible due to the cost of repairs and upgrades.

The 2025 park board report stated it would have cost $8 million to repair and upgrade the existing train, tracks, and building. Kozak said part of that cost would be to replace the entire train track. The report also noted that the disruptions were affecting its reputation, stating that the operational issues “reflect poorly” on the park board and the city. 

Kozak said the company had been on notice since the pandemic, and park board staff kept them aware of what was happening with the train prior to Mortal Coil’s contract being cancelled. “None of this was ever a surprise,” she said, adding that the park board staff she dealt with were “completely fair about everything.” 

After the 2024 cancellation, the park board suspended train operations indefinitely while it “explored new operating models and partnerships for the beloved attraction,” through a request for expressions of interest from third parties. 

The closure will continue for the rest of the year, a park board spokesperson confirmed, adding “at this stage, there are no plans to permanently decommission [the train and its related infrastructure] until a future path forward for the attraction is decided on.” 

The results of the expression of interest process will be presented to park board commissioners in late June, the next step in determining future plans for the site. 

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Good morning,

One of the benefits of being part of the Local Journalism Initiative, besides providing resources to hire our newest reporter, Maddi, is that we get the opportunity to feature some work from other local publications.

Today’s story comes courtesy of reporter Michelle Gamage from the Tyee, and it’s all about the new harm reduction site proposed for downtown Vancouver.

Let’s dive in!

– Geoff Sharpe, Lookout founder and managing editor

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 16 🌡️ 11 | ☁️

Thursday: 14 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️

Friday: 11 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

HEALTH

Can the city block the opening of a downtown harm reduction site?

Advocate Guy Felicella, flanked by supportive city councillors, returned a city honour in response to Mayor Ken Sim’s vow to block a downtown harm reduction site. / Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee

By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Tyee. Read the story online.

A celebrated harm reduction and recovery advocate is rejecting an honour given to him by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim because the mayor is trying to prevent a new harm reduction location from opening.

Two years ago, Sim declared May 29 “Guy Felicella Day” to honour Felicella’s tireless advocacy work.

But now Felicella says the honour isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. He called the recognition “disingenuous” because Sim is obstructing vital harm reduction services.

Felicella said he made the decision to return the honour after speaking with his wife and young kids.

It’s important to teach them integrity, he said, even if they’re still too young to understand the weight of their father’s actions.

This all started on Tuesday, when Vancouver Coastal Health announced the new location of an overdose prevention site, or OPS, in the Vancouver City Centre area.

The new location will be at 900 Helmcken St., with a lease term beginning June 1. City Coun. Rebecca Bligh says the location will require some work and a development permit before it can open.

This is the third location of the Thomus Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site, which operated at 1101 Seymour St. before it was moved to 1060 Howe St., and closed again Jan. 31, 2026.

Health authorities have been ordered by the province to open overdose prevention sites wherever they’re needed.

The Vancouver City Centre area fits the bill. It has the second-highest rate of overdose deaths in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, with 94 fatalities last year, and the second-highest number of 911 calls in the VCH region, according to the health authority.

Guy Felicella with Mayor Ken Sim in 2024, when Sim declared May 29 ‘Guy Felicella Day’ in recognition of Felicella’s harm reduction and recovery advocacy. / Photo submitted to The Tyee

Just hours after VCH announced the new location, Sim introduced an “urgent motion” in city council directing City of Vancouver staff to “to take all lawful steps to prevent the opening of the proposed overdose prevention site.”

The motion passed late Tuesday evening, supported by Sim and six ABC Vancouver councillors and opposed by the four opposition councillors.

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, Sim said the new harm reduction site was the latest in a series of “previous, failed OPS sites.” Coun. Peter Meiszner called the OPS “another failed experiment.”

Which really got under the skin of Felicella, who told The Tyee that overdose prevention sites aren’t a failure.

“These sites have proven for decades to save lives and reduce harms,” Felicella said.

‘It’s insulting’

Felicella is a former drug user whose life was saved thanks to the quick work of staff at an overdose prevention site in 2013.

Today he is an advocate for harm reduction and recovery, supporting families dealing with addiction, and speaking to students about his story of recovery from addiction and homelessness.

Since 2021 the Thomus Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site has supported 149,603 visits and responded to 480 overdoses, according to VCH.

“It’s insulting to me and thousands of other people whose lives have been saved to say these sites have ‘failed,’” Felicella added.

“I get it, the public is sick and tired of people using drugs in public. But you can’t be sick of the solution that addresses that,” he said. “That area is riddled with overdoses and deaths.”

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, ABC councillors and the mayor spoke about their concerns that the province was focusing on harm reduction instead of treatment.

In a message posted to Facebook, Sim said the previous harm reduction sites “became focal points for street disorder and open drug use.”

The new harm reduction location appears to have taken this critique into consideration.

VCH says the new site on Helmcken includes supervised inhalation, supervised consumption and a lot of indoor space in order to encourage people to hang out inside, rather than on the sidewalk. This will also reduce public drug use, VCH said, because it gives people a place to go.

The Tyee sent a media request asking to speak with the mayor and Meiszner about their concerns.

Meiszner did not respond. Sim’s office sent an emailed statement that said, in part, that “the status quo has not been good enough” and “Vancouverites deserve a more comprehensive and accountable response to the addictions and mental health crises.”

The city will use “all lawful means available to it” to stop the opening of the site, the statement said.

Their goal is to ensure “any proposal moving forward includes meaningful consultation, a clear public safety plan, pathways to recovery and strong accountability measures,” the statement continued.

But this criticism is disingenuous, Coun. Sean Orr told The Tyee via email.

There’s been a community liaison table set up for a year, so the community has been consulted, and blocking the OPS from opening will increase public drug use because people who use drugs will have nowhere else to go, Orr said.

In response to Sim’s comment about “previous, failed OPS sites,” Orr said harm reduction can only be considered “failed” if “you don’t consider saving human lives a worthwhile goal or use of resources.”

“Fifty-one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-eight overdoses and not a single one was fatal, and the mayor calls this a disaster,” Orr added.

Orr said he believed Sim’s attempt to block the harm reduction site is influenced by the fact that there will be a municipal election later this year.

“The city has no business legally to even be in this conversation,” he said. “It’s an election year... and we’re campaigning on people’s lives. It’s heartbreaking.”

Felicella said he was frustrated to hear Meiszner say the province wasn’t investing in treatment and recovery beds in Vancouver because he has personally given Meiszner a tour of several treatment and recovery facilities in the city.

Can the city block the opening of the OPS?

It’s also not clear if city council will be able to block Vancouver Coastal Health from opening the overdose prevention site.

First, it’s in opposition to the order from the province for “regional health boards and BC Emergency Health Services to implement overdose prevention in any place required,” Orr said.

Second, it’s setting the city up for a legal challenge because a 2011 court case ruled that other levels of government can’t block harm reduction facilities, said Coun. Pete Fry.

“It’s not our job to use any tools necessary to block something we don’t like,” Fry said. “We have to go through the proper process. He’s exploited his power, used incorrect governance procedure, and it’s likely going to come bite him in the ass. Then we, the taxpayers of Vancouver, will be on the hook for the legal challenge.”

Third, it’s not clear if the city has the authority to block a service that the city doesn’t have jurisdiction over, Coun. Bligh told The Tyee.

The site doesn’t need to be rezoned and city council isn’t involved in issuing or denying development permits, she said.

It’s possible the city could change the building’s zoning or adopt interim control bylaws, which would be a first for Vancouver, she said.

She told The Tyee that in her view, that would be a misuse of taxpayer money.

“This OPS has been pushed around the neighbourhood relentlessly and VCH keeps finding a new space within a two-block radius because that’s where the need is,” she said.

Sim’s urgent motion “is being presented as decisive action but shows a pattern of mismanagement that is costing taxpayers money and time while also putting people at risk,” Bligh added.

“We’re seeing the same cycle repeat: the site is shut down or blocked; there’s no ready alternative; the system is forced to start over.”

It’s got to be costly to find, rebuild and restock new sites as well as move staff, security and equipment around and do community consultations, Bligh added.

And deleting the service doesn’t delete the problem of the toxic supply of drugs, she said.

Bligh said she would like to see government response to the ongoing toxic drug crisis ramp up so that people can access on-demand treatment.

She’d also like to see more of a focus on prevention and working holistically to prevent people — especially young people — from falling into the cycle of drug use.

But ultimately it “doesn’t make sense” for the city to be taking a combative approach against Vancouver Coastal Health, she said.

When asked how Felicella would be spending May 29 now that it’s no longer “Guy Felicella Day,” he told The Tyee every day is “Guy Felicella Day.”

“I have a beautiful family, I have an amazing career, I have good friends, I have a lot of support. For me — May 29, May 30, June 1, whatever — I’m living my best life right now,” he said.

“I’m going to do what I do because I care about helping people, and that won’t change because this [honour] goes back,” he added. 

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THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

2.8 million

No, that’s the average cost of a single-family home in Vancouver; it’s the size of the first phase of the Oakridge Park shopping mall in Vancouver, which is finally set to open on May 28. It’s one of the biggest retail and residential construction sites. [Canadian Press]

THE VANCOUVER BRIEF

Data centre expansion arrives in Vancouver

What happened: The AI surge has hit Vancouver, with the federal government announcing yesterday a data centre cluster in the province in partnership with TELUS, to be built at the former Hootsuite headquarters in Mount Pleasant and will come online later this year, according to CBC. Another data centre will be set up at 150 West Georgia in 2029. 

• The pitch is framed around building data sovereignty in Canada rather than relying on the U.S. TELUS is touting the project as green, saying 98 per cent of energy used in the data centres will be from clean hydro power, as well as using 90 per cent less water than a traditional data centre. 

Zoom out: Data centres are a controversial part of the AI landscape. Protests have taken place across the U.S. targeting their expansion. Here in Canada, 200 people rallied in Saint John, N.B., to protest a large industrial data centre under construction. Over in Nanaimo, residents also protested a new facility which would use 25.2 million litres of water per year, according to the Discourse. 

What it means: Unlike in Canada, data centre opposition in the U.S. has reached a fever pitch, as communities have mobilized to oppose expansion due to costs, environmental impacts, and unclear local benefits. It remains to be seen if these AI data centres, as they start to expand, will generate a similar level of opposition in Canada.

• Mayor Ken Sim also noted during the press conference that he personally has 11 agents “doing a lot of work in the background.”

THE AGENDA

❓ Green Party city councillor Pete Fry is questioning whether the location of a pop-up plaza at 17th Avenue and Fraser Street was expedited due to a connection to the mayor’s office. The location is next to Bells and Whistles, which is owned by Gooseneck Hospitality. One of the partners at Gooseneck is Ogi Radoicic, the mayor’s director of communications. Radoicic said in a statement that the decisions are made by the city’s engineering department. Read more. [CTV]

🏒 The Canucks appear to have found a director of hockey operations. Ryan Johnson, the current assistant GM, has been with the team in different capacities since 2013 and would replace Jim Rutherford. Read more. [The Province]

⚽ We’ve been on Whitecaps watch here at the Lookout, and there appears to be some good news. There are reports that a serious bidder has emerged, with multiple potential partners, including local First Nations, the city of Vancouver, various levels of government, and other stakeholders. Read more. [The Province]

🧓 The Sunset Seniors Centre, located at 6810 Main St., is now open. It includes 11,000 square feet of accessible programming, kitchens for catering public meals and rooms for fitness classes and community gatherings. 

👮 A cyclist is suing the Vancouver Police Department after a police vehicle that was stolen hit him in 2024. Christopher Thomas Taylor is claiming in civil court that he’s been unable to work as an electrician and has experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. Read more. [CTV]

🏀 Vancouver-born Memphis Grizzlies basketball player Brandon Clarke has died at the age of 29. There was no cause of death announced. 

FIFA World Cup

🏗️ BC Place has undergone upgrades in the lead-up to the World Cup, with a new natural grass pitch replacing the artificial turf. There are also new hospitality spaces, renovated locker rooms and better video screens. Read more. [CTV]

📜 Changes to local laws take effect today. They include a range of updates, including reduced rules for temporary infrastructure, new restrictions on street vending, extending noise allowances, and a two-kilometre controlled area around B.C. Place and FIFA Fan Festival site at Hastings Park. Read more. [CBC]

📈 Good news, there are still World Cup tickets available. Bad news, they are not cheap. The most affordable ones are $530 for Australia vs Türkiye, and the most expensive are the July 7 Round of 16 game. Read more. [Urbanized]

💸 While the economic impact of FIFA has been touted by politicians and businesses, experts say it may be impossible to actually measure the true economic impact of the games. Read more. [CityNews]

HOME OF THE WEEK

I visited Habitat Island with a friend yesterday. It’s hard not to see all the condos across the water.

This one is near BC Place. It’s a beautiful one-bedroom luxury unit with air conditioning, lots of natural light and a den. You also get some extra amenities, like a hot tub, fire pit, sauna, and steam room.

How much will this slice of luxury cost? Sadly, more than most of us can afford…

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Nabi House Korean Foods is a subdued ode to home cooking

Vegetable soybean stew. Geoff Sharpe/Vancity Lookout

Restaurants rarely feel like home. Yet you’d be right to think you stumbled into someone's kitchen at Nabi Kitchen House, the city’s newest Korean restaurant, joining a busy lineup of new spots, including Jeju and Nui.

Read the story and instantly subscribe to our free restaurant review newsletter

VANCOUVER ARTS GUIDE

Performance

Glitch Theatre is putting on Arc One, which engages 10 new and emerging D/disability-identified artists for an evening of short original performances. Tickets are $10-$20, and you can catch the show on May 23 at 7:30 p.m. 

The Pacific Theatre has announced its 2026/27 season, including shows like Son of a Preacherman, the Christmas variety show Christmas Presence, and the world premiere of Mental.

Jericho Arts Centre will host Vancouver’s Ensemble Theatre Festival from July 8-18 with two performances — Peerless, a re-imagining of Macbeth in the world of elite college admissions, and the famous A Streetcar Named Desire

Art

On May 14, I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson at the Museum of Anthropology will open to the public, focused on history robes, depicting colonial history and Indigenous peoples. 

We’ve mentioned it before, but every Vancouver art fan needs to check out The Show, Emily Carr University’s student art show with over 400 different artists’ works, on until May 27 at the university. 

Movies

The Rio has an eclectic mix of movies this weekend, including Alien and Aliens back-to-back, The Iron Giant, Zombieland, and David Lynch’s Inland Empire. 

At VIFF, you can catch TheGrapes of Wrath, a documentary about Amy Goodman called Steal This Story, Please!, The Wizard of the Kremlin, and next week you can see Ben McKenzie (of the O.C. fame) in his documentary, Everyone is Lying to You For Money, all about cryptocurrency.

Submit your event and it could appear here and reach 30,000+ Vancouver locals.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Sustainability and ingredients take centre stage at Indian restaurant Lila

• Here’s a list of when Vancouver’s outdoor swimming pools open. [Urbanized]

• TransLink wants to hear from you about their planned Stanley Park service improvements.

• Vancvouer’s Jazz Festival has a bunch of free shows this summer. [Straight]

GAME TIME

Today’s Wordle was included somewhere in the newsletter. Can you work out what it is?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A gorgeous view of Coal Harbour, Stanley Park, and the North Shore mountains from the deck of the Vancouver Lookout (no, not our offices, sadly) 🏔️ 

A celebrated harm reduction and recovery advocate is rejecting an honour given to him by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim because the mayor is trying to prevent a new harm reduction location from opening.

Two years ago, Sim declared May 29 “Guy Felicella Day” to honour Felicella’s tireless advocacy work.

But now Felicella says the honour isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. He called the recognition “disingenuous” because Sim is obstructing vital harm reduction services.

Felicella said he made the decision to return the honour after speaking with his wife and young kids.

It’s important to teach them integrity, he said, even if they’re still too young to understand the weight of their father’s actions.

This all started on Tuesday, when Vancouver Coastal Health announced the new location of an overdose prevention site, or OPS, in the Vancouver City Centre area.

The new location will be at 900 Helmcken St., with a lease term beginning June 1. City Coun. Rebecca Bligh says the location will require some work and a development permit before it can open.

This is the third location of the Thomus Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site, which operated at 1101 Seymour St. before it was moved to 1060 Howe St., and closed again Jan. 31, 2026.

Health authorities have been ordered by the province to open overdose prevention sites wherever they’re needed.

The Vancouver City Centre area fits the bill. It has the second-highest rate of overdose deaths in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, with 94 fatalities last year, and the second-highest number of 911 calls in the VCH region, according to the health authority.

Guy Felicella with Mayor Ken Sim in 2024, when Sim declared May 29 ‘Guy Felicella Day’ in recognition of Felicella’s harm reduction and recovery advocacy. / Photo submitted to The Tyee

Just hours after VCH announced the new location, Sim introduced an “urgent motion” in city council directing City of Vancouver staff to “to take all lawful steps to prevent the opening of the proposed overdose prevention site.”

The motion passed late Tuesday evening, supported by Sim and six ABC Vancouver councillors and opposed by the four opposition councillors.

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, Sim said the new harm reduction site was the latest in a series of “previous, failed OPS sites.” Coun. Peter Meiszner called the OPS “another failed experiment.”

Which really got under the skin of Felicella, who told The Tyee that overdose prevention sites aren’t a failure.

“These sites have proven for decades to save lives and reduce harms,” Felicella said.

‘It’s insulting’

Felicella is a former drug user whose life was saved thanks to the quick work of staff at an overdose prevention site in 2013.

Today he is an advocate for harm reduction and recovery, supporting families dealing with addiction, and speaking to students about his story of recovery from addiction and homelessness.

Since 2021 the Thomus Donaghy Overdose Prevention Site has supported 149,603 visits and responded to 480 overdoses, according to VCH.

“It’s insulting to me and thousands of other people whose lives have been saved to say these sites have ‘failed,’” Felicella added.

“I get it, the public is sick and tired of people using drugs in public. But you can’t be sick of the solution that addresses that,” he said. “That area is riddled with overdoses and deaths.”

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, ABC councillors and the mayor spoke about their concerns that the province was focusing on harm reduction instead of treatment.

In a message posted to Facebook, Sim said the previous harm reduction sites “became focal points for street disorder and open drug use.”

The new harm reduction location appears to have taken this critique into consideration.

VCH says the new site on Helmcken includes supervised inhalation, supervised consumption and a lot of indoor space in order to encourage people to hang out inside, rather than on the sidewalk. This will also reduce public drug use, VCH said, because it gives people a place to go.

The Tyee sent a media request asking to speak with the mayor and Meiszner about their concerns.

Meiszner did not respond. Sim’s office sent an emailed statement that said, in part, that “the status quo has not been good enough” and “Vancouverites deserve a more comprehensive and accountable response to the addictions and mental health crises.”

The city will use “all lawful means available to it” to stop the opening of the site, the statement said.

Their goal is to ensure “any proposal moving forward includes meaningful consultation, a clear public safety plan, pathways to recovery and strong accountability measures,” the statement continued.

But this criticism is disingenuous, Coun. Sean Orr told The Tyee via email.

There’s been a community liaison table set up for a year, so the community has been consulted, and blocking the OPS from opening will increase public drug use because people who use drugs will have nowhere else to go, Orr said.

In response to Sim’s comment about “previous, failed OPS sites,” Orr said harm reduction can only be considered “failed” if “you don’t consider saving human lives a worthwhile goal or use of resources.”

“Fifty-one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-eight overdoses and not a single one was fatal, and the mayor calls this a disaster,” Orr added.

Orr said he believed Sim’s attempt to block the harm reduction site is influenced by the fact that there will be a municipal election later this year.

“The city has no business legally to even be in this conversation,” he said. “It’s an election year... and we’re campaigning on people’s lives. It’s heartbreaking.”

Felicella said he was frustrated to hear Meiszner say the province wasn’t investing in treatment and recovery beds in Vancouver because he has personally given Meiszner a tour of several treatment and recovery facilities in the city.

Can the city block the opening of the OPS?

It’s also not clear if city council will be able to block Vancouver Coastal Health from opening the overdose prevention site.

First, it’s in opposition to the order from the province for “regional health boards and BC Emergency Health Services to implement overdose prevention in any place required,” Orr said.

Second, it’s setting the city up for a legal challenge because a 2011 court case ruled that other levels of government can’t block harm reduction facilities, said Coun. Pete Fry.

“It’s not our job to use any tools necessary to block something we don’t like,” Fry said. “We have to go through the proper process. He’s exploited his power, used incorrect governance procedure, and it’s likely going to come bite him in the ass. Then we, the taxpayers of Vancouver, will be on the hook for the legal challenge.”

Third, it’s not clear if the city has the authority to block a service that the city doesn’t have jurisdiction over, Coun. Bligh told The Tyee.

The site doesn’t need to be rezoned and city council isn’t involved in issuing or denying development permits, she said.

It’s possible the city could change the building’s zoning or adopt interim control bylaws, which would be a first for Vancouver, she said.

She told The Tyee that in her view, that would be a misuse of taxpayer money.

“This OPS has been pushed around the neighbourhood relentlessly and VCH keeps finding a new space within a two-block radius because that’s where the need is,” she said.

Sim’s urgent motion “is being presented as decisive action but shows a pattern of mismanagement that is costing taxpayers money and time while also putting people at risk,” Bligh added.

“We’re seeing the same cycle repeat: the site is shut down or blocked; there’s no ready alternative; the system is forced to start over.”

It’s got to be costly to find, rebuild and restock new sites as well as move staff, security and equipment around and do community consultations, Bligh added.

And deleting the service doesn’t delete the problem of the toxic supply of drugs, she said.

Bligh said she would like to see government response to the ongoing toxic drug crisis ramp up so that people can access on-demand treatment.

She’d also like to see more of a focus on prevention and working holistically to prevent people — especially young people — from falling into the cycle of drug use.

But ultimately it “doesn’t make sense” for the city to be taking a combative approach against Vancouver Coastal Health, she said.

When asked how Felicella would be spending May 29 now that it’s no longer “Guy Felicella Day,” he told The Tyee every day is “Guy Felicella Day.”

“I have a beautiful family, I have an amazing career, I have good friends, I have a lot of support. For me — May 29, May 30, June 1, whatever — I’m living my best life right now,” he said.

“I’m going to do what I do because I care about helping people, and that won’t change because this [honour] goes back,” he added. 

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Restaurants rarely feel like home. Yet you’d be right to think you stumbled into someone's kitchen at Nabi Kitchen House, the city’s newest Korean restaurant, joining a busy lineup of new spots, including Jeju and Nui.

Kitchen Nabi House. Geoff Sharpe/Vancity Lookout

Situated in the former Aleph Eatery, little has changed inside. It’s an airy space, a warm embrace as you enter. Plates are piled haphazardly in the front, while Daniel Lee’s mother, Young Mi Jeon, works in the back. I’m told the kimchi is a family recipe.

When you think of Korean food, many readers inevitably picture flame-grilled meats and deep-fried chicken smothered in bright red gochujang sauce. Meat tends to be the focus. 

But Korean food shines as a vegetable-forward cuisine. Banchan, small side dishes of vegetables, like kimchi, are prepared in numerous ways and served with meals. It’s a simple, homely and comforting reminder that vegetables are the basis of Korean food. 

Chef Lee’s cuisine can only be described as intentionally subtle. You won’t find intense flavours like gochujang red pepper paste or red pepper seasoning of gochugaru. Each dish is a delicate dance, a focus on simplicity that is rare in Korean restaurants in Vancouver.

As Lee told me, that’s a conscious decision. Competing against other, more established restaurants is a challenge. You have to stake out your own space. 

Vegetable soybean stew. Geoff Sharpe/Vancity Lookout

Soups feature prominently on the menu. A chicken perilla soup features heaping chunks of chicken simmering in a light perilla-infused broth. The vegetable soybean stew, loaded with firm tofu, has an intense aromatic depth that pulls you into a warm embrace and doesn’t let go. These are dishes for a chilly Vancouver day.

There is, of course, meat on the menu, but even that is done with care. 

Nabi House Soy-braised pork belly. Geoff Sharpe/Vancity Lookout

Soy-braised pork belly is technically cooked perfectly, a soft ribbon of pork fat hanging, clutching for its life, on the moist meat. Drizzled on top is a dark, thick, reduced sweet soy sauce, infused with star anise and cinnamon. It’s rich, but balances with the meat. 

Royal court tteokbokki. Geoff Sharpe/Vancity Lookout

One dish sure to make hearts flutter is the royal court tteokbokki. Done in what can only be described in the style of beef bourguignon, the sauce is a dark pepper-forward umami stew. Tteokbokki are cylinder-shaped wheat cakes, usually made from rice, and an inspiring pairing that elevates the ingredient beyond just its traditional street food. The menu changes, but I’d be surprised if this ever leaves.

Home cooking means bigger portions, and Nabi doesn’t disappoint. With dishes ranging from $12 to $30, Lee has found a way to bridge affordability, quality and portion size. It’s a place you could visit often, given the small hit to your wallet. Another intentional choice by the chef.

In a city full of skyrocketing prices, Instagram-focused dishes and extravagantly ornate spaces, Chef Lee’s subdued intentionality has carved out a space in Vancouver’s Korean dining scene that feels fresh and needed. 

It’s as close to feeling at home as you’ll find.

Michael Cox and his 16-year-old cat, Pumpkin, have been desperately searching for a pet-friendly apartment for over two years. 

Cox, a 71-year-old retired bus driver, has lived in a pet-friendly co-op in East Vancouver for almost a decade. While he has many friends in the city, he is ready for a change of pace for the next chapter of his life, he said: “I like Vancouver, but my sister is in Victoria, and I want to be closer to her as we both age.” 

However, due to restrictive no-pet policies in much of the province’s rental stock, Cox has had little luck finding a new apartment in his price range that will accept Pumpkin. 

This is far from the first time that Cox has faced housing struggles tied to pet ownership. In the past, he was evicted by his landlord’s son for having two cats after living in an apartment near UBC for five years, despite the building manager's approval. “We were given two months to move out because we weren’t going to give up the cats.”

Following the eviction, Cox searched unsuccessfully for pet-friendly housing and eventually moved his two cats discreetly into a West End apartment that did not permit pets. While he was far from the only one of his neighbours to have unapproved pets in the building, he described it as “quite the stressor” to have to maintain a pet “as surreptitiously” as he could. 

“My story isn’t particularly unusual, I’m just [one of many] in this city who can’t rent because of the no-pets thing,” said Cox. One survey found that nearly one-third of British Columbians have struggled to find pet-friendly housing, with apartments that allow animals typically costing more than their pet-free counterparts. 

Boasting the most expensive rental landscape in the country, it can be exceptionally difficult, particularly for seniors, people with disabilities, and those on lower incomes, to find housing in Vancouver, Sarah Marsden, director of systems change and legal at First United, told Vancity Lookout. 

“We're already in a housing crisis, and if you have a pet, it's clearly that much more difficult to find a place to live,” she said. 

In 2024, as part of their campaign, the BC NDP promised to ban no-pet clauses in rental agreements. First United and BC SPCA charities are now calling on the provincial government to make good on that promise.  

“This is something that is going to be helpful for lower-income people in diverse groups… and is definitely going to have a strong impact in an urban area like East Vancouver,” Marsden said. 

The legislation that First United has proposed would ban no-pet policies in all purpose-built rental units and stratas with five or more units, but would not include basement suites or smaller units. 

In 2025, the Union of BC Municipalities nearly passed a motion on pet bans, which Marsden said ultimately failed because it did not distinguish between landlords renting a unit in their own house and landlords with larger buildings. Concerns were raised, for example, that landlords who owned basement suites could not ban animals despite issues such as pet dander allergies. 

Moving forward, Marsden said that she hopes the province will consider something like what First United has proposed, particularly given that “there’s a lot of research showing that pets are really beneficial for people’s mental and physical health.”

Pet policies as a health and human rights issue

As a senior who lives alone, Cox said that Pumpkin is more than just a pet; she is an instrumental part of his general well-being. 

Cox suffers from depression and “in the wintertime, I can have some pretty bleak days,” he said. “But I’ve got this little creature that depends on me, and that is enough to keep me going.” 

Studies have shown that pets can improve cardiovascular health, decrease loneliness, lower stress levels and increase opportunities for exercise. 

Some people, for example, those with service animals, explicitly require animal companions. However, Marsden said that, despite laws intended to protect people in these situations, First United still frequently hears of these groups facing discrimination when searching for housing.

“The policy is neutral on its face, but if it becomes very hard for certain groups of people, like low-income seniors [and people with disabilities] to find housing, then we start to see this as a human rights issue.” 

Due in part to the frequently higher prices of pet-friendly housing, a recent report from First United revealed that many people have had to move farther from work, leave the city entirely, or move back in with family to accommodate a pet.

“As a landlord, if they have something that is a scarce commodity, then it will command more money in the market,” said Marsden. “If we change [that] so that [pet-friendly rentals] are no longer a scarce commodity, then hopefully that would even out.” 

Property destruction fears are largely unfounded, said advocates

In a statement sent to Vancity Lookout, BC’s Ministry of Housing wrote they “understand the concerns and challenges of renters,” but they also “acknowledge the concerns raised related to property damage, noise, health and safety.” 

According to research by First United, 82 per cent of cases where there was a compensation award for pet damage were for an amount that was less than the pet deposit already being paid by the tenant.

Under the existing Residential Tenancy Act, tenants are already “financially responsible for any damages caused by themselves, their guests or pets.”

“It gives landlords a way to get compensation where there’s damage, and it also tells us that the damage is usually… hundreds of dollars rather than thousands,” said Marsden. 

A nearby example of this policy in action can be found in Ontario, which has forbidden pet bans for nearly 20 years. If a landlord in Ontario were to slip in a rule against pets in the tenancy agreement, the contract would become void under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act. 

While this does not entirely prevent landlords from citing ‘no pets’ in apartment listings, it does mean that tenants who have already signed a contract cannot be evicted for having pets, regardless of whether they are “allowed” under their rental agreement. 

However, if a pet becomes excessively disruptive or destructive, a landlord may have more leeway to proceed with eviction on these grounds. 

“There’s no reason it wouldn’t work here,” said Marsden. “We have a similar housing market, and similar housing shortages in a lot of areas of the province [as Ontario]… it would make sense here as well.”

Animal shelters overcrowded

BCSPCA sign on East 6th and Keith. Maddi Dellplain/Vancity Lookout

Sarah Herring, government relations officer with the BC SPCA, said that the animal rights community is becoming increasingly concerned about the effects of pet bans. “Housing issues are the leading reason for the surrender of healthy adult animals to the BC SPCA.” 

Since 2014, Herring said they have seen over 12,000 dogs and small animals surrendered to their shelters due to housing reasons. This figure does not include animals surrendered to other organizations, those rehomed privately, or those abandoned as strays.

“These animals don’t need to be in the BC SPCA’s care. If there were more pet-friendly housing, we could use our resources to care for more vulnerable animals.”  

Under the current legislation, in addition to banning pets outright, Herring said that landlords can also ban the size and number of pets. “Even if an apartment is advertised as pet friendly, it may only allow one dog under 20 [kilograms]… a lot of families are going to be excluded from that.”

For landlords concerned that hordes of animals would soon take over their rental units, Herring noted that most cities already have a maximum number of pets permitted per household.

In Vancouver, the Animal Control Bylaw states that unless licensed as a kennel keeper, a person cannot have more than three dogs at any one property at any one time, or more than six smaller animals in total (such as hamsters, cats, rabbits, or reptiles). 

For Cox, he said he would have happily adopted a dog by now if it were not for pet restrictive policies - and he is not alone. According to a BC SPCA survey, 24 per cent of British Columbians report wanting a pet but not being able to because of housing restrictions. 

While First United and the BC SPCA expressed they were "optimistic" that the province will step in with a no-pet policy ban sometime in the near future, Cox said he is skeptical. 

“The landlord-slash-owner lobby and their political friends are quite strong and are listened to more than the renters, same as with developers in Vancouver City Council… so I don’t have much hope for them changing the pet policy,” said Cox. 

The City of Vancouver passed a motion last April that affirmed its intention to advocate for the elimination of no-pet clauses and to expand pet-friendly tenant protections within policies such as the Broadway Plan and the Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy (TRPP).

However, the authority to update the Residential Tenancy Act and implement widespread no-pet policy bans ultimately lies with the province. 

The province did not offer a timeline for when or if a no-pet policy ban may be implemented, but the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs said in written statement to Vancity Lookout that they “are exploring options for pet policies in purpose-built rental buildings,” and noted that “under current rules, landlords and tenants are allowed to discuss and negotiate whether pets are permitted in a rental unit.” 

In the meantime, renters like Cox are left to navigate the affordable housing crisis with their furry friends in tow. 

Said Marsden: “People shouldn't have to choose between having a pet and having a home… pets are part of the family.”

With just over a month before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in Vancouver on June 11, host committee officials are now providing important logistical details, including for the PNE fan fest, road closures, expanded transit services, and policing and surveillance. Meanwhile, the city has yet to release its final human rights plan, which is expected later this month.

Fan Festival

The FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE is the city’s marquee World Cup event for people who can’t attend pricey matches in person. 

The Fan Festival will be free to enter, with a capacity for 25,000 people, and will be open for 28 days, including all game days. The festival won’t be open most Mondays and Tuesdays. You can find the full schedule here.

A map of the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE fairgrounds / Vancouver FIFA host committee

Attractions will include live match screenings, concerts, bars, food trucks, games and activities, and a FIFA store. 

The big venue at the Fan Festival is the soon-to-be-completed PNE Ampitheatre, which will host live match screenings and concerts. The new 10,000-person partially covered venue ended up costing the city $183.7 million, nearly three times the original 2021 budget, according to BIV. 

“Market-driven cost escalation for materials and labour, challenging ground and soil conditions, [and] global cost pressures,” were among the reasons cited by the city late last year for the significant budget increase.

To recoup some of those costs, 75 per cent of the amphitheatre’s capacity will be set aside for paid ticket holders, with tickets going for $45 and up. Tickets include guaranteed access and fast-track entry to the festival site, as well as in-and-out privileges between the amphitheatre and the rest of the festival. 

The amphitheatre will have 2,600 general admission spots available for free on a first-come, first-serve basis. Anyone accessing the amphitheatre for free will need to line up again to re-enter the other festival areas.

Road closures 

There are some significant road closures to be aware of for people driving downtown and in East False Creek this summer.

Beginning May 23rd, Pacific Boulevard will be closed between the Cambie Street Bridge, including the bridge off-ramp, and Carrall Street. That closure will be in effect for about two months, until late July. Granville Street, between Georgia and Davie, will also be closed to vehicles from June 11 to July 20. 

The seven match days are when the more extensive road closures and locals-only access will be in place, including along Quebec Street, around Andy Livingstone Park and International Village, and all around BC Place.

A map of match day road closures in and around downtown Vancouver / Vancouver FIFA host committee (visit link for a high-resolution version)

“Residents and businesses impacted by event-related road closures in this area will be able to maintain most access with some limitations, using our local traffic access passes, which are being enabled now and being presented to the community next week,” according to the host committee’s chief operations officer Taunya Geelhoed. 

Residents in the restricted areas will be mailed one access pass and can request up to two additional passes online, according to the host committee. Businesses in that area will need to request any required passes. An online information session for local residents about road closures is being held on May 11 at 6:30pm, which you can register for here.

“We've been working very closely with all of those buildings and businesses in that area for quite some time … what you're seeing is the final version of those decisions,” host committee lead Jessie Adcock said. 

Extra transit service and routes 

Standing outside 29th Avenue Station in Renfrew-Collingwood, local officials unveiled a Fan Festival express bus that will run between that station, nearby Renfrew Station, and the PNE’s Pacific Coliseum. TransLink won’t be releasing details on how frequently that shuttle service will run until the last week of May.

TransLink was able to provide details on expanded service for existing transit. They’ll be adding around 600 extra bus trips per day during the World Cup, including increased service on routes serving downtown and the PNE. Those include the R5, 14, 19, 23, 28, 130, and 222 buses, as well as extra buses and staff ready to respond to overcrowding.

TransLink and city staff pose in front of the new #11 PNE bus / Nate Lewis

SkyTrain service, including the Canada Line, will be extended by one hour on the nights of June 13, 16 and July 2. For folks coming to and from North Van, Seabus frequency will be set to peak weekday service levels (every 10-15 minutes) for the entire tournament, and will also be extended by an hour on the same dates as the SkyTrain.

Stadium-Chinatown Station will remain open throughout the tournament, TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn said, but there won’t be access to BC Place or the surrounding area from that station on match days. Main Street-Science World is the primary transit access point for anyone going to a match or the gameday pedestrian fan zone.   

TransLink will also be running special weekend West Coast Express trips on June 13 and 21.  

Policing and surveillance

During the tournament, residents will notice additional police officers “all over the city,” and at specific FIFA venues, according to Vancouver Police Department (VPD) deputy chief Don Chapman. 

In addition to VPD, law enforcement operating in Vancouver will include the RCMP, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, Delta Police, and officers from the Calgary and Edmonton police services, Chapman said. 

Chapman was unable to provide any hard numbers for how many officers would be operating in Vancouver during the tournament, saying there would be peaks and valleys in staffing depending on a variety of factors. 

“I do anticipate July 2 and July 7, when we get into the round of 32 and the round of 16, to really see a peak level of people in the city with real passionate interest,” Chapman said, meaning an associated influx of police presence. 

Vancouver Police Department deputy chief Don Chapman and other officials at a World Cup media event / Nate Lewis

The city is also installing around 200 new CCTV cameras in seven areas around the city, including downtown, the PNE, Commercial Drive, BC Place, Killarney, and in UBC. The temporary surveillance system will be active from June 7 to July 19.

Camera use is governed by the VPD and the city. It will include safeguards for access and storage of footage, and will not be used with any facial recognition technology, according to the city.

“We've been working with the privacy commissioner, hand-in-hand with the city, for a number of months now to ensure a privacy impact assessment has been conducted, it's thorough, and it's appropriate for the circumstances … We're in a very good place with that,” Chapman told Vancity Lookout. 

The city has said cameras will be turned off immediately after the tournament and will be removed and decommissioned.

In addition, transit police will be using drones to monitor crowds, according to BIV.

Human rights 

For the first time in FIFA’s history, 2026 host cities are required to create a Human Rights Action Plan to confront the risks posed by the tournament for local, vulnerable populations. The city released a draft version of its plan in February, with a final version expected later this month. The plan has two primary focuses: inclusion and safeguards for marginalized groups, and upholding workers’ rights. 

The plan is particularly relevant to the Downtown Eastside. “We recognize that there is significant concern across the neighbourhood about the impacts of [World Cup] activations on people in these neighbourhoods without housing or who are precariously housed,” the document reads. It also notes that “the City's daily public realm management and by-law compliance work will continue.” In other words, maintaining the status quo of street sweeps in the neighbourhood, according to Play the Game.

Vancouver’s host committee did not include any representatives of Downtown Eastside organizations, and only met with groups like Pivot Legal after the draft plan was released. The draft plan was criticized by Pivot Legal, the BC Civil Liberties Association, and the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition for a lack of engagement with impacted groups and organizations and an over-reliance on existing policies and laws. 

“The Action Plan recognizes that FIFA brings an increased risk of harm to Vancouver’s residents, and yet promises nothing to effectively mitigate it,” the groups wrote.

A motion at city council in early April to update the plan with measurable targets and specific protections for unhoused and precariously housed residents was voted down by the ABC Party majority.

Sex worker advocacy organizations are also raising the alarm about the impact of the World Cup on that vulnerable group at a time when the city is cutting programs that contribute to sex workers’ safety, and there’s less funding available for these organizations.

The city said it’s funding “temporary service enhancements to support gender and sex worker safety during the seven match days,” according to the Vancouver Sun, but those have yet to be announced.

Important dates 

Tournament dates: June 11-July 19

Match days in Vancouver: June 13, June 18, June 21, June 24, June 26, July 2, July 7

Fan Festival schedule: June 11-July 19, with some early week closures 

Related Lookout stories

• Youth soccer players in Killarney got a kick out of the new FIFA training facility in their backyard. Read more.

• The city’s new process for temporary patios makes it easier for restaurants and bars to host World Cup crowds (even if they can’t say ‘World Cup’). Read more.

• Some of Vancouver’s annual summer events have been impacted, or cancelled, due to FIFA. Read more.

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Good morning, 

Nate with you today. I don’t know about you all, but I’ve been loving the long sunny days we’ve been having. For me, it’s meant lots of biking and scooter rides instead of taking the car, long evenings with friends at the beach, and my apartment window thrown wide open for most of the day. 

At the same time, all that sun combined with 15 hours of daylight is exhausting! As much as I want to be outside all the time, I have to remind myself to rest and take a break sometimes. 

After a record-breaking Monday, nature seems to be offering us a little pause on the summer-esque weather as the temperature looks to be dropping a bit over the next few days. Still, now is the time to get your fan and air conditioning situation in order. 

With that, let’s get to today’s issue!

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout

As always, you can send your tips, leads, and story ideas to Nate at nate@vancitylookout.com.

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 16 🌡️ 11 | ☁️

Thursday: 17 🌡️ 12 | ☁️

Friday: 16 🌡️ 11 | ☁️

HOUSING

The affordable housing model gaining momentum in Vancouver

Robyn Chan, left, and Sarah Brown, right, on a sunny afternoon in one of False Creek South's common areas / Nate Lewis

Read the story online.

Amid high housing costs and rapid development, an alternative approach to create and maintain secure, affordable housing is gaining momentum in Vancouver. 

Community land trusts are a way to shield essential assets — in this case, housing — from market speculation, by purchasing or leasing existing buildings or vacant land with the intention of providing long-term affordability and stability for residents. These trusts are governed by non-profit boards, often with input from community advisory groups and tenants. 

Community members in False Creek South, the Downtown Eastside, and Strathcona have each created community land trusts in recent years, a step which often comes from long-term organizing around housing and other neighbourhood issues.  

Creating the False Creek South Community Housing Trust was “the next logical, more practical [and] material extension of conversations and dreams that have been happening long before we moved here,” Sarah Brown, the land trust’s community planning assistant, told Vancity Lookout on a sunny afternoon in the neighbourhood.

“All the things that we've talked about for so long, about building new housing, helping to maintain the existing housing, redeveloping eventually with community in mind – the trust is the vehicle for all of those things to happen,” Robyn Chan, the trust’s managing director, explained. 

The False Creek South land trust came about as part of residents’ organizing around lease renewal negotiations with the city. Much of the neighbourhood, built as a master planned community in the 1970s and ‘80s, is located on city-owned land. Now, some of those original leases are expiring and have not yet been renewed, creating uncertainty and financial issues for residents. 

Brown described how many neighbourhood residents, frustrated by the protracted community planning processes and lease renewal negotiations with the city, “really had to be convinced that anything positive could come from conversations with the city.” 

“I feel like the trust has allowed some people to see where there might be even just a sliver of a win-win, for our community, for the city, and for folks who don't live here yet,” Brown said. 

While the land trust doesn’t have any properties in its portfolio yet, they are working to secure a long-term lease on vacant city-owned land in the neighbourhood to build a new co-op. “To have [a goal] that's really future-oriented and outward-focused is so exciting to people,” Chan said.

Meanwhile, the Downtown Eastside Community Land Trust (DTES CLT) – a non-profit which was originally conceived by a coalition of neighbourhood groups – finalized the purchase of its first building earlier this year, a private SRO with deeply affordable rents that was at risk of being sold for redevelopment. 

The Powell Rooms SRO is home to 23 units of deeply affordable housing and childcare space / Nate Lewis

“In the Downtown Eastside, the idea [of land trusts] has gotten more and more traction [and] support … just a notion amongst tenants that they're wanting to live in these sorts of buildings,” DTES CLT executive director Andy Bond told Vancity Lookout. 

“Groups like ours have a lot of experience in neighbourhoods. They don't just come up with the idea of a land trust and come in and create it. It's built on the back of a lot of organizing,” Bond said.

Bond explained how it can take many years of work before a land trust can actually get a property to work with, but that things can start to move more quickly once that piece is in place.

“I think that there is some momentum now and [land trusts are] getting the attention of both politicians and people living in community,” Bond added. 

Jarrett Hagglund, managing director of the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC (CHFBC), is also seeing significant interest and support for community land trusts. CHFBC operates a large community land trust, established in 2015, which now includes 34 co-op and non-profit buildings, most of which are located in the Lower Mainland. That makes CHFBC’s land trust a big player compared to the smaller, neighbourhood-specific groups.

“I think people are starting to see it as a real solution to the housing crisis, and a really good vehicle for long-term affordable housing,” Hagglund, who is running for a city council nomination with OneCity, told Vancity Lookout. 

Land trusts act as a vehicle for non-profit housing groups to aggregate their resources and assets, leveraging those to finance maintenance, repairs, and expansion, Hagglund explained. In the case of co-ops, it also allows for more centralized services, like a single waitlist for prospective members, rather than a separate list for each co-op. 

A crucial part of the success of CHFBC’s community land trust has been support from local government. In 2018, they partnered with the City of Vancouver to build and maintain affordable rental housing on seven city-owned sites under 99-year leases. Today, five of those buildings have been completed, with two more under construction. 

“I think public land use for community and affordable housing needs to be a bigger priority for the city,” Hagglund said.

The city has signalled support for community land trusts over the past several years. A 2024 motion from ABC Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung called, in part, for the city to support community land trust models for co-op housing on city-owned land. 

The city has also signalled its support for leasing land to the Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS), named for the Black neighbourhood in southwest Strathcona that was discriminated against by the city and eventually bulldozed to construct the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts. In 2022, the city signed a memorandum of understanding for the non-profit to establish a community land trust and lease the 898 block between Main Street and Gore Avenue where Hogan’s Alley was located. 

HAS's development of the area would include below-market housing, space for small businesses and childcare, and a Black cultural centre. However, removing the viaducts is a prerequisite for that idea to move forward, and that has yet to happen. The removal was a core pillar of the city’s neighbourhood area plan, approved back in 2015. 

The city has said it’s waiting for Concord Pacific and the province to develop the properties they hold near the viaducts, west of Main Street, as a way to fund the removals. That could happen within the next five years with Concord’s redevelopment proposal for the area, according to BIV. 

Coincidentally, Hogan’s Alley Society co-founder Stephanie Allen was just recently named as COPE’s candidate for mayor. 

Mentorship and collaboration

While community land trusts are now gaining momentum in Vancouver, local CLT leaders we spoke with pointed to successful land trusts in other cities and countries as models and helpful resources for what they’re building. 

The Champlain Land Trust in Burlington, Vermont, is “utopia for us,” Chan said, describing the mix of affordable housing models it facilitates. Bond pointed to the success of Kensington Market, Parkdale, and Circle community land trusts in Toronto, which benefited from a municipal funding program.  

There’s also the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts, which Bond is a board member of, and Brown credits for providing mentorship, resources, and connections. 

Canadian Network director Nat Pace “has done an incredible job bringing folks together for advocacy purposes, but also picking out different educational threads that some of the longer-standing CLTs can offer,” Brown said. 

“Sometimes when you're in your neighbourhood working on things, you're a little alone, [but] all of a sudden it's like, oh no, we're not alone. This is actually a thing that happens successfully in other places,” Chan added. 

Local community land trusts, including False Creek South, Downtown Eastside, Hogan’s Alley, and CHFBC, will gather on May 15 — World Community Land Trust Day — for a symposium to create a vision for community stewardship of land in Vancouver. There’s also a workshop on balanced housing supply happening at UBC earlier that same week, Bond said, which will include speakers from different land trusts. 

“We're not just here by ourselves doing it. We're doing it as part of this movement,” Chan said.

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SPONSORED BY OPERA WEST SOCIETY

The grand finale of UBC Old Auditorium 100th anniversary celebrations

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This milestone event reflects a century of artistic excellence while highlighting the vital role of mentorship, education, and community support in shaping emerging performers. As we celebrate this historic moment, your support helps create meaningful opportunities for young artists, ensuring a vibrant future for opera in Canada.

THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

23.9 Celsius

The maximum temperature in Vancouver on Monday, the highest ever for May 4. That record had stood since 1898. It comes as B.C. Hydro says electricity demand was the highest it’s ever been for May in the province. [CBC]

THE VANCOUVER BRIEF

Kits pool to open in mid-June, but big choices need to be made this summer

Left, a busy day at Kits Pool in summer 2025. Right, the pool's outer wall after some major damage from storms in early 2022 / Nate Lewis

What happened: The city and park board are hoping to open Kits Pool by mid-June this year. It’s likely one of the last summer seasons for the current facility. 

Background: The iconic outdoor pool is barely functional, hanging on for dear life thanks to a series of band-aid patches to its pipes, basin, and membrane over the past couple of years.

• With sea level rise and increasingly intense winter storms, the seaside pool has taken a beating in recent years.

What’s the plan?: There are big questions swirling around the beleaguered facility’s future. The park board will soon need to decide what sort of renewal approach it wants to take, and city council will need to agree and provide funding. Those decisions are expected to be made this summer so funding can be included in the upcoming capital plan.

The facility's location is one of the key decisions that needs to be made. Should it be protected from the ocean and kept in the same spot, at a lower cost and with a shorter lifespan, or moved to a new facility, which would be more expensive but would provide a long-term solution?

There are three options currently on the table:

• A) Protect the existing facility for around $40M, which will last about 15 years.  

• B) Renovate the existing facility for around $90 million, with an approximately 30-year lifespan.

• C) Replace it with a new facility outside the floodplain, which would cost between $230-300 million, and last about 75 years.

THE AGENDA

💉 A proposed overdose prevention site near St. Paul’s Hospital is getting pushback from Mayor Ken Sim, who, with support from his ABC majority, directed city staff to use every municipal tool available to prevent it — or any other overdose prevention site — from opening until the province changes its approach for these sites. Vancouver Coastal Health pointed out the neighbourhood had 94 overdose deaths last year, the second-highest rate in the health region. This OPS moved from its original location in Yaletown after the city didn’t renew its lease, and it shut down again earlier this year due to resident complaints. Read more. [CBC]

🐋 The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is investigating a collision between a jet skier and a grey whale in Burrard Inlet near Stanley Park on Monday evening. A sailboat was able to reach the injured rider, who was in serious but stable condition at the hospital. The rider could face charges under marine mammal regulations that require boaters to stay 100 metres away from whales. Read more. [CBC]

🏢 The passage of the Official Development Plan (ODP) meant council approved several rezoning proposals on Tuesday which normally would have required a public hearing. Buildings that are consistent with the ODP and are at least 50 per cent residential no longer have public hearings. Read more. [Business in Vancouver]

❌ While the city is planning to put over $400 million toward community centre renewals, that won't include the long-awaited rebuild of the overcrowded West End Community Hub. While the city has completed a master plan, the project can't move forward until it receives provincial funding. It’s part of a trend of the city and province struggling to work together on coordinated renewals. Last week, we reported that the city is explicitly avoiding projects involving the Vancouver School Board in its latest capital plan. Read more. [The West End Journal, Vancity Lookout]

📈 The Vancouver Police Department has called the Canadian Border Service Agency to check the immigration status of people they interact with far more often since 2023 compared previous years. Police denied there’s been a change in policy. This is the first investigation by De Facto, a new local publication owned by its journalists, including Lookout contributor Dustin Godfrey. Read more. [De Facto]

🏠 Home sales in Vancouver are charting two different paths. Overall, home sales were down 2.5 per cent in April compared to last year, which is 22.9 per cent lower than the 10-year seasonal average. Condo sales were down 10.7 per cent as well. But the detached home market was up 14 per cent year-over-year. Read more. [Business in Vancouver]

🏢 A proposal to convert a downtown office building into a hotel was quickly approved by the city. Increasing Vancouver’s hotel room stock has been a big priority for the current council, and office tower conversions could be part of the answer. It’ll be a bit of a wait though, as this particular project isn’t slated to open until 2029. Read more. [The West End Journal]

😭 Another gut punch for Vancouver sports fans – despite the Canucks having the best odds, the Toronto Maple Leafs won the 1st overall pick for this summer’s NHL draft. Vancouver dropped two positions and will pick 3rd overall. In other Canucks news, Jim Rutherford announced he’ll step down as the team’s president of hockey operations. Read more. [CBC]

HOME OF THE WEEK

As sales of detached homes rise compared to the rest of the market, we thought we’d highlight one out in East Vancouver.

This four-bedroom, one-bathroom home offers beautiful views and is located just off Commercial Drive. It’s liveable for a family, but could have investment potential as well for rezoning.

How much will it set you back? Find out

VANCOUVER ARTS GUIDE

Performance

Corporeal Imago – Drift is the latest performance by The Dance Company, about a mysterious world exploring ecological change. On at the Dance Centre from May 21-23.

The Cultch announced their 2026-27 season, which includes East Van Panto: Hercules, the bawdy and naughty marionette show The Daisy Theatre: Back in Bloom, and shows from multiple festivals, including Warrior Festival and PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. [Stir]

This week, until May 9, you can catch Glitch at the Roadhouse. This year’s youth performance show is all about phone addiction, telling the story of how kids are sucked into a phone.

Art

St. Faith’s Anglican Church is hosting Look at the Birds of the Air, a wildlife photography exhibit and talk on May 14 at 6 p.m.

Vapes and Butts is a new art show by photographer Michelle Leone Huisman exploring tobacco addiction, featuring 22 pieces made from old pods collected from garbage. It’s on at Gallery 881 from May 6-June 6.

Emily Carr University of Art + Design’s The Show is back May 13-27, featuring art from the university’s graduating class. It’s one of the biggest free shows in Vancouver with over 400 different artists at the university’s campus.

Music

Vancouver New Music has announced their 2026-27 season, with performances from around the world featuring percussion, their popular festival Open Frequencies, vocalists, interactive music and more

There are still some tickets (though they’re pricey) available for the popular band the Arkells this Friday at the Hollywood Theatre.

Fans of Led Zeppelin will want to check out Black Dog – The Spirit of Led Zeppelin, a popular tribute band to the famous rockers. It’s on at the Centennial Theatre on Friday at 7 p.m.

Movies

The Asian Women for Equality is hosting a free screening of Black Box Diaries on May 24. It’s an Oscar-nominated documentary by Japanese journalist Shiori Itō investigating her own sexual assault. On May 24 at the Cinematheque.

There are still a few spots open to see Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, the documentary skewering cryptocurrency. Those who love road trips should see The Art of Adventure. And finally, they’ve got the classic The Grapes of Wrath showing next week.

Submit your event and it could appear here and reach 30,000+ Vancouver locals.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• The best restaurants in Canada were revealed — and local restaurant AnnaLena was ranked 14th.

• Catch a screening of a TV series exploring Korean food hosted by a local Vancouver-based filmmaker. [VanMag]

• Darth Vader on a hydrofoil was not something I expected to see in False Creek… [Reddit]

• The Harbour Air commuter pass might be the perfect thing for the travellers in your life. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Now that’s a lot of goslings! [Reddit]

• Kitsilano might be getting a new hotel. [Vancouver is Awesome]

Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

GAME TIME

Today’s Wordle has been hitting hard recently. Can you work out what it is?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Nate Lewis

There are so many stunning gardens blooming around the city these days. This big rhododendron in Mount Pleasant took my breath away 🌺

Amid high housing costs and rapid development, an alternative approach to create and maintain secure, affordable housing is gaining momentum in Vancouver. 

Community land trusts are a way to shield essential assets — in this case, housing — from market speculation, by purchasing or leasing existing buildings or vacant land with the intention of providing long-term affordability and stability for residents. These trusts are governed by non-profit boards, often with input from community advisory groups and tenants. 

Community members in False Creek South, the Downtown Eastside, and Strathcona have each created community land trusts in recent years, a step which often comes from long-term organizing around housing and other neighbourhood issues. 

Creating the False Creek South Community Housing Trust was “the next logical, more practical [and] material extension of conversations and dreams that have been happening long before we moved here,” Sarah Brown, the land trust’s community planning assistant, told Vancity Lookout on a sunny afternoon in the neighbourhood.

“All the things that we've talked about for so long, about building new housing, helping to maintain the existing housing, redeveloping eventually with community in mind – the trust is the vehicle for all of those things to happen,” Robyn Chan, the trust’s managing director, explained. 

Stroll through any given Vancouver street this week, and there is a good chance the sidewalks will be carpeted with the bright, pastel pinks of fallen cherry blossom petals. 

Though the peak of cherry blossom season is largely behind us and the city’s official festival wrapped up on April 17, it’s still not too late to take in the last bursts of colour in select neighbourhoods.

“It’s likely we only have [a few days] left of cherry blossom season,” Andrea Arnot, executive director of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, wrote in a statement to Vancity Lookout. 

Vancouver hosts over 44,000 trees city-wide and 54 different cultivars, or varieties, of cherry blossoms, each blooming for about two weeks on average. 

Kanzan cherry blossoms, the bright pink, late-blooming cultivar, are among the most populous in the city and tend to bloom later into April, while the more elusive Shiro-fugen blooms the latest, sometimes lasting until June. 

“The Kanzan cultivar does bloom a little later, especially the further away from sea level one goes,” wrote Arnot. For Vancouver, areas around Killarney, Renfrew-Collingwood, and Victoria-Fraserview are likely to have the best remaining blossoms.  

Not sure where to look to catch the last of the season? 

Whether you already photographed them at their peak or are a bit of a “late bloomer,” data scientist and University of British Columbia professor, Daniel Chen, has created several helpful maps to help Vancouverites make the most of these unique trees. 

Using open data from the city, Chen mapped the city’s most cherry blossom-dense neighbourhoods and streets, identified the types of trees in each neighbourhood, and even created optimal running and biking routes to view the blooms.  

Map of cherry blossom-dense neighbourhood. Daniel Chen

“[The maps] really started because my mom had never been to Vancouver during this time,” Chen, a native New Yorker, said he wanted to maximize the opportunity to see the best cherry blossoms possible during her springtime visit. 

When he got to mapping, he said he was surprised to find that, despite the popularity of areas like David Lam Park for cherry blossom viewing, downtown actually has the lowest density of cherry trees in the city. 

While Mount Pleasant boasts the highest density of cherry blossom trees overall, oddly, he said, it does not have a single one of the city’s 30 highest-density streets. Many of those streets are located in various parts of East Vancouver. 

Chen’s map of the top 30 highest cherry blossom-dense streets in the city, shows many of them stretching through Renfrew-Collingwood, particularly along Rupert Street, and through Victoria-Fraserview and Sunset along East 49th, East 61st and Victoria. 

Map of most cherry blossom-dense streets in Vancouver. Daniel Chen

Chen used open data provided by the city of Vancouver to create the various maps. “It’s pretty cool that all of this [data] is coming from public resources that the Vancouver City government maintains,” said Chen, “and you can see that the city government is definitely planning this… they aren’t just random trees across the city.” 

Next year, he hopes to expand his dataset further to include the timing of the bloom cycles for the different cherry blossom cultivars across the city. 

When asked why he thinks the cherry blossoms are so beloved, Chen said. “[Cherry blossom season] is a signal to Vancouverites that it might finally stop raining… people can go out for picnics again,” adding “with all of the pinks and reds… there’s a uniqueness there that’s just really pleasant to look at.”

Map of cherry blossom cultivars. Daniel Chen

For those looking for the best views for the very last of the season, Arnot suggested the double row of Kanzan trees of East 28th and Penticton, and the arch of trees over Templeton from East 1st to East 4th. 

Vancity Lookout also confirmed that, while not an exhaustive list, pops of colour could still be found in the residential areas around Nootka Street between East 22nd and East 24th, along Nanaimo Street bordering the west side of Nanaimo Park, and along Rupert Street between East 17th and East 30th. 

The Vancouver Tenants Union (VTU) is being sued in small claims court by a landlord alleging that he experienced “psychological harm” as a result of the group’s organizing efforts. 

According to court documents, landlord Andrzej Kowalski is suing the tenant organization for $35,000 - the maximum amount permitted under small claims court - for “suffered annoyance, distress, disruption of daily life, and, in some instances, psychological harm.”

The VTU said this claim arose after they successfully thwarted two of Kowalski’s eviction attempts against tenants at 1171-1177 East 14th Avenue in East Vancouver. 

In 2022, Kowalski attempted to evict all of his tenants after purchasing the property the previous year. He had planned to have the seven heritage apartments vacated to construct four luxury condominiums. 

“We launched a public campaign that [aimed to pressure] him and the city not to allow the development to go through,” said VTU organizer Sydney Ball. 

Following a year of organizing by the 1177 Tenants Collective, Kowalski’s request to rezone the building was denied.

The next year, Kowalski attempted to evict a long-term tenant of the same building, Terry McIntosh, in June 2025, claiming that he needed the apartment for a permanent caretaker. 

“Terry was really vocal and one of the main tenants in the campaign to initially save their home from the condo conversion,” said Ball. The VTU fought this eviction as well, which eventually went to the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB). Eventually, an RTB arbitrator ruled in McIntosh’s favour and allowed him to remain in the building - a decision that Kowalski has challenged, according to Nov. 2025 court documents. 

“It’s incredibly stressful to have your home threatened”

In the claim that Kowalski filed against the VTU in Sept. 2025, he alleges that between the period of Feb. 6, 2024 and Aug. 20, 2025, the VTU “sent or caused to be sent… over 900 emails and over 200 telephone calls and voicemails.”  

Court documents also reference two protest gatherings that included dozens of supporters and “attempted to access [Kowalski]” at his personal residence, “in an attempt to harass [Kowalski] and unduly pressure [Kowalski’s] conduct of Residential Tenancy proceedings underway at the time.” The VTU denies all of the allegations in the claim.

“It’s interesting to get any lawsuit from a landlord claiming mental distress from organizing, when obviously the choice to evict your tenants…for profit is on them,” said Ball, adding that, for tenants, “it’s incredibly stressful to have your home threatened.”

If the organization is forced to pay Kowalski, members of the VTU have been raising money through a series of fundraisers as part of their “Teach Landlords A Lesson” campaign.

Over the last several months, members have hosted sold-out comedy shows in Mount Pleasant, a screenprinting party on Hastings, multiple tenant-union-themed movie nights, and, most recently, a bake sale hosted by the Fairview Chapter last Sunday. 

Lawsuit piñata at the VTU Fairview Chapter bake sale fundraiser/ Maddi Dellplain

At the bake sale, VTU member Rajpreet Sidhu said that residents of Fairview had been “really supportive,” raising an estimated $400 in a few hours, bringing the VTU's total to over $23,000.

Sidhu added that public events like the April 9 media rally that the VTU hosted outside of Kowalski’s business address are really important to show that “we’re being sued, but we’re not scared. Landlords [have been using] this tactic more and more on tenants.”

This isn’t the first time the VTU has fought off a lawsuit from a disgruntled landlord. In 2024, Anoop Majithia unsuccessfully sued the VTU for defamation when posters of his likeness as a bug and with devil horns appeared in the West End. 

“It’s difficult, landlords have access to money and lawyers to launch these kinds of things… we're a volunteer-led organization, and tenants don’t have access to those resources,” said Ball. “That in itself can grind down organizing efforts and put people’s attention away to something even if it's completely frivolous.”

“We’re taking it as a collective time to take a stand against landlords that use this as a tactic to say as a group that we’re not scared, and we’ll continue to defend tenants’ homes regardless.” 

VTU says case highlights importance of strong anti-SLAPP laws

Ball said that lawsuits like this demonstrate the importance of strong anti-SLAPP legislation, or legislation that protects those speaking out in matters of public interest against “frivolous lawsuits” designed to intimidate, silence, or financially burden critics. 

“Strengthening that legislation is helpful for us because we need to protect people’s rights to demonstrate and advocate for themselves.” While B.C. does boast some of the strongest anti-SLAPP legislation in the country, these cases can be costly for those involved. 

The VTU is scheduled to meet with Kowalski for mediation on Friday, May 1, to determine whether the claim proceeds to trial. 

“Obviously, we would like him to drop the lawsuit,” said Sidhu. If the VTU is forced to pay out Kowalski, their fundraising efforts to date have gotten them about $10,000 shy of that benchmark. If not, Sidhu said the group hopes to put that money toward opening a new, more accessible storefront for the organization. 

“In every case [we’ve been involved in], knowing that their homes are under threat, weighs on tenants significantly… But what we have is community, and we can stand together in solidarity,” Ball said. 

Vancity Lookout reached out to Kowalski by email for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication. 

Good morning, 

Nate with you today. It’s been a frenetic week for us here at the Lookout. We published a major investigation about the lobbying behind the city’s crackdown on nightlife venues. It’s been getting a lot of attention, even prompting a local political party to create a petition on the issue. 

We just made the exciting announcement that we’ve hired Maddi Dellplain, an experienced reporter and my new colleague, as our East Van correspondent, funded through the Local Journalism Initiative. 

Plus, just yesterday, we launched our brand new City Hall Insider newsletter for paid members. The reviews are coming in, and it seems to be very popular! If you’re not a member yet and want to receive the next City Hall Insider you can sign up here.

And, of course, we’re still bringing you the regular newsletter you know and love. Let’s get to it!

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout

Editor’s note: As many readers pointed out in Monday’s edition, the sports scores were wrong. The Vancouver Rise lost 2-3 against Toronto AFC, while the Vancouver Goldeneyes won 4-3. 

As always, you can send your tips, leads, and story ideas to Nate at nate@vancitylookout.com.

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 15 🌡️ 8 | ☀️

Thursday: 18 🌡️ 10 | ☁️

Friday: 17 🌡️ 9 | ☁️

COMMUNITY CENTRES

Selection process and jurisdictional issues complicate $400 million community centre investment

The Roundhouse Community Centre was one of the facilities chosen for renewal based on a recent assessment by the city / Nate Lewis

Read the story online.

Last week, the ABC majority on city council passed a motion which, in part, directed staff to include $400 million to renew and replace five community centres in the upcoming 2026-2030 capital plan.

“It's incredibly ambitious,” Mayor Ken Sim’s chief of staff Trevor Ford told Vancity Lookout during an extensive sit-down interview at City Hall last week. “Typically, it's about one community center per capital plan, and we haven't even been doing that.”

The chosen community centres are Roundhouse, Kensington, Dunbar, Hastings, and Kerrisdale. However, these choices diverge somewhat from the park board’s 2022 Community Center Plan, which laid out its own priority list for community centre renewal. 

“This is the first phase,” Ford said. “We picked five based on the list that staff has provided us. We're going to hit the worst ones that are the easiest to hit, right off the bat.”

The list Ford is referring to is not the park board’s plan, but rather a recent community centre condition and usage assessment, which he shared with Vancity Lookout. That was the document used to inform the choice of the community centres that should be prioritized for renewal or replacement in ABC Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung’s motion. 

The first of two pages that make up the city's assessment of which community centres should be selected for renewal. Chosen centres are highlighted in yellow / Nate Lewis

“In four years, things have dramatically changed,” Ford said of the recent assessment compared to the 2022 plan. 

The two-page spreadsheet lays out the Facility Condition Index (FCI) score for each community centre. The higher the FCI percentage, the greater the maintenance and major repair costs compared to fully replacing the building. Four of the five community centres chosen for renewal were categorized as being in “very poor” condition, with FCI’s between 30 and 60 per cent, according to the city assessment. 

The city’s assessment also includes facility age, size, deferred renewal liabilities, usage, and other notes. While it incorporates park board data on current usage at community centres, it does not account for unmet need or future demand, nor does it reflect alignment with growth areas, park board Comm. Brennan Bastyovanszky said, highlighting differences between the city’s assessment and the park board’s plan.

THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

$146 million

The money that the federal government will contribute to Vancouver and Toronto’s FIFA World Cup security costs. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

⚽ According to reports, the chances of the Whitecaps moving down to the U.S. are growing more likely, with Las Vegas and Phoenix as potential landing spots. The organization says there’s no viable buyer for the team, as it sits at the bottom of the league in terms of revenue. Mayor Ken Sim has called on the province to sign a bridge deal with BC Place before a new stadium can be built. Read more. [City News]

💸 Meanwhile, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association is worried that the loss of the Whitecaps would be a major blow to the city’s core, not just financially but also culturally. Read more. [CTV]

📉 Home sales in Metro Vancouver are at the lowest point in the last 25 years, and 80 per cent have sold below their final asking price this year. Read more. [Urbanized]

🚗 The park board may be set to revisit parking fees at Spanish Banks, Jericho and Locarno Beaches. Two councillors plan to introduce motions to look at changing the fees, with the big focus on the rapid increase from $1.50 per hour to $4.50 per hour this year. Read more. [Urbanized]

⚽ El Presidente? A request by FIFA for its president, who is visiting Vancouver this week, to have the same level of security as a visiting head of state, was not approved by the Vancouver Police Department. Read more. [The Independent] 

⚾ While it’s sad news for soccer fans, baseball fans will like the recent news that Ryan Reynolds is interested in being a part-owner of the MLB team in Vancouver. Read more. [Globe and Mail]

🎆 English Bay is getting a free, one-night fireworks festival this summer, essentially a scaled-down version of the Celebration of Light, after the park board approved the show. Read more ($). [Vancouver Sun]

🏒 Vancouver hockey fans will be saddened to hear about the passing of John Garrett, who covered games for more than two decades. He died suddenly, and no cause of death was provided. Read more. [Global News]

👮 One suspect was arrested after two men were stabbed at Joyce-Collingwood Skytrain Station last Saturday.

HOME OF THE WEEK

The World Cup is quickly approaching. So we thought we’d check and see what it would cost to live in that area.

This two-bedroom + den, 888-square-foot home is a perfect spot, right on Robson and less than two blocks from BC Place. Besides the location, it’s got a yoga studio, gym, theatre and steam room.

Yes, it’s far more expensive than World Cup tickets…

CITY HALL INSIDER

What is a capital plan?

Vancouver City Hall / Vancity Lookout

Capital plan is one of those terms you’ve undoubtedly seen before, likely with a year range tacked on beside it. You probably skim over the phrase when reading an article, in this very newsletter perhaps, and have a vague understanding of what it means. 

But what is it actually, and why is it important? Where does the money come from? And how does it relate to the yearly budget or the election? In today’s Explainer, we’ve got the answers. 

Read the story

VANCOUVER ARTS GUIDE

Performance

Ballet Vancouver announced its inaugural season, starting Sept. 26, with three captivating programs featuring classical and neo-classical performances. 

Some say opera is dead, but don’t tell the Vancouver Opera — their show La Bohème is set to become the highest-grossing in the organization’s history. Tickets are still available for the show from Apr. 30 to May 3 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Art

Art in the City 2026 returns on May 2 at the West End Community Centre, featuring 51 different artists from various disciplines showcasing their work. 

Cut It Out celebrates World Collage Day with six different local collage-based artists at 550 Cambie St, second floor, on May 9. 

Music

Noël Wan, recognized as one of classical harp’s most distinguished soloists, joins the West Coast Harp Society at St. James Community Centre on May 15 at 7 p.m.

Over 600 young singers aged 8-24 will take part in the largest concert in Vancouver Youth Choir’s history on May 24 at the Orpheum. The show Village is a celebration of family and community, with performances in 11 different languages.

Movies

VIFF’s shows this week include Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, a documentary by former OC star Ben McKenzie (who has an economics degree) investigating crypto, The Art of Adventure, a love letter to an adventurous life, and How Deep Is Your Love, an exploration of one of the deepest and remotest spots on earth. 

The DOXA Documentary Film Festival is on until May 20 at the Cinematheque, with movies exploring issues like public swimming pools in Tokyo, kindergarten and the American healthcare system.

COMMENT CORNER

“At last!! Real news about how the city works, and how we can be heard. Thanks for the big improvement!” — an unnamed reader reacting to our first City Hall Insider newsletter, which went out on Tuesday.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Congrats to the eight Vancouver bars, including Keefer Bar, Prophecy and Lala at June, which placed in the 50 Best Bars in Canada.  

• A grey way has been spotted in Vancouver this week.

• This is what the new Olympic Village Elementary School could look like. [Urbanized]

• Now that’s one way to move baby geese. 

• Well, that gas tax drop was short-lived… [CityNews]

• Simons is coming to downtown Vancouver, taking over part of the Nordstrom space at CF Pacific Centre. [Urbanized]

GAME TIME

Today’s Wordle showed up in our top story today. Can you work out what it is?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A winning moment at Pacific Coliseum earlier this season / Nate Lewis

The Goldeneyes just wrapped up their first season in Vancouver. While the team missed the playoffs, they were able to secure the first overall pick in the upcoming PWHL draft and will quack on again next season 🐤 

Capital plan is one of those terms you’ve undoubtedly seen before, likely with a year range tacked on beside it. You probably skim over the phrase when reading an article, in this very newsletter perhaps, and have a vague understanding of what it means. 

But what is it actually, and why is it important? Where does the money come from? And how does it relate to the yearly budget or the election? In today’s Explainer, we’ve got the answers. 

What is it?