By: Olivia Sherman, News Writer
On June 26, Beedie Holding Ltd’s controversial condo was approved for development in central Chinatown. This was the sixth and final time Beedie attempted to get the condo approved, with five other attempts spanning over half a decade. Chinatown’s residents, many of whom are Chinese Canadians, low-income, and seniors, are largely opposed to the development, citing concerns over rampant gentrification.
The Peak corresponded with Jade Ho, a member of the Vancouver Tenant’s Union (VTU), SFU scholar, and activist. She discussed the impacts of gentrification and what this development means for the community. “This decision shows that the city government is there to serve elite developer interests and to prioritize profit over people,” she said. Ho noted Chinatown will become “increasingly unlivable for low-income seniors and residents.”
Ho is concerned with the rising gentrification of Chinatown. “By definition, gentrification is to replace working class culture with a wealthy one.” She added, “landlords will raise rent for more profit and thus displace people from their home. We see low-income renters being renovicted or demovicted out of their homes [ . . . ] This is what happens when we look at housing as a commodity and not a fundamental human right.”
During rallies on May 26 and June 12, dozens of speakers voiced their opposition to the development. While a rally was held outside Vancouver City Hall on June 12, speakers and activists were in the hearing room inside, giving testimonies and voicing opposition to the development. However, Ho isn’t convinced these voices were properly heard, and has speculated as to why the announcement was postponed almost two weeks.
“In my experience, they delay as much as they can so it discourages organizing. On the 12, there was a much bigger crowd than the 26. This is, of course, our speculation from experience.”
The Peak attempted to contact Beedie for comment, and received a media statement from Rob Fiorvento, the managing partner for Beedie Living. Fiorvento said the ruling is “an important and positive step forward [ . . . ] to revitalize Chinatown,” that Beedie will be working to “further represent the character and culturally historic neighbourhood,” and they “look forward to collaborating with community partners as we move forward with the project.”
Ho replied to this statement, saying “when they mention working with community partners, they meant these self-elected elites of Chinatown. They do not mean actual low-income residents there.”
She also said the “predisposition of the current government is pro-developer and profit-making,” and the opposition is from those “who actually live and depend on this neighbourhood, from people who would be impacted the most.” However, the “developer can still spend millions of dollars in legal processes to push forward their proposal.”
Ho quotes Chinatown’s Business Improvement Area president Jordan Eng, who said he would like to see more “foot traffic” in the community, and claimed Chinatown doesn’t have a residential base.
“What he meant is there are no middle-class or wealthy residents, completely neglecting all of the low-income residents and seniors who they are supposed to serve [ . . . ] they are working on an anti-working class agenda,” Ho said.
While the condo has been approved, Ho and her fellow activists continue to fight. “We will continue to organize and have a strong collective base. We are calling the attention of the provincial government.
“We will not rest until 105 Keefer is taken back and built as a permanent home for the people. We will continue to fight for the rights of our seniors to age in place, and we will continue to fight until every unhoused tenant has a home and no one is scared that their home will be taken away from them.”
A petition with the VTU is available in favour of social housing. For more information, Ho encourages contacting the VTU. Visit their website at https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/
