First United

"The DTES is not, and never was, an 'experiment'. It is a neighbourhood with deep roots, hard histories, and human resilience. It is a place where people know each other’s names, share what little they have, and try to live with dignity against the odds." - @BurrowsAmanda

"When the Carnegie Housing Project asked residents what’s special about the DTES: it’s a community that takes care of each other; people are generous... the resources are stretched thin but the community never withholds from each other..." @JeanSwanson_ thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025/0…

The Downtown Eastside is not a failed experiment. It’s a community of relationships, resilience & resistance. Yes, low-income housing must exist city wide. But don’t erase the humanity & lived experience of those who call this home. The DTES deserves respect, not your scorn.

Poverty, mental and physical illness, advanced age, and isolation are driving factors in who is most at risk on our heating planet, disproportionately bearing the burden of climate change. This is why climate change is a human rights issue. thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025/0…

With homelessness rising across Canada, is there such a thing as too many rentals being built? But, there is such a thing as too many overpriced rentals no one can afford being built.

"As Vancouver continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change, it’s the Downtown Eastside that often feels the heat most intensely. During the 2021 heat dome, temperatures soared past 40°C." straight.com/city-culture/p…

The Aboriginal Front Door Society is a critical DTES service. This funding must be extended. Tell the City of Vancouver and Province of BC not to leave unhoused urban Indigenous people without much-needed AFDS supports. Add your voice here today ➡️ chng.it/h8ZhBXGRRg

Vancouver has exactly the same problem: here "extreme heat emergency plan" is just "open community centre/libraries for longer". No water, no space to lie down, no IV's or nurses on site. We need more proactive plans for the climate emergency.

This could very well be a headline in Vancouver in the coming days.

.@BurrowsAmanda, Executive Director, spoke to @CTVVancouver on Friday about Mayor Ken Sim’s proposed sites for relocating Granville SRO tenants. Watch the full segment here youtu.be/main6-FyFkA?si….

The market isn't going to solve homelessness. As I keep saying: "Homelessness is not supposed to be financially viable for the market. It's a social issue, and so therefore the nonprofit sector & government need to be the ones doing the intervention." vancitylookout.com/p/downtown-eas…

“[TRAC lawyer Robert Patterson] says there’s nothing in the RTA that prevents housing providers from evicting tenants—and making the process easier will only serve to further reduce stability and comfort for vulnerable residents.”

Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day! It's a day to celebrate the history & culture of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people. There are many cultural celebrations and events happening around the province. Find one near you at indigenousbc.com/.../national-i…... #NIPD

There is a reason why so many people struggling with addiction don't go to treatment, and it's not because they enjoy struggling! When the focus becomes more about the substances and not about the other social determinants of health, which often leads people into addiction or…

Today is #Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the end of slavery in the US. Many Black Canadians still celebrate because of the significance it holds. Let's celebrate the resilience of Black communities and continue to fight against anti-Black racism and systemic inequality.

[RELEASE] Nine City Councils are calling on the BC gov't to recognize housing as a human right. Housing is recognized as a human right at the federal level in Canada. It's time our provincial government steps up to make the same commitment, in policy and practice. #bcpoli

Honoured to attend the Father’s Day Pow Wow, alongside our @FirstUnitedDTES tent where dignity, justice and belonging guide all we do wherever we are in community.

Seniors are the fasting growing demographic entering homeless shelters. As rents increased by over 100% in the past decade the Trudeau government increased CPP/OAS/GIS by only 26%. With absolute predictability they can't afford the rent and are being evicted.…