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/
Stella’s name was inspired by her father’s favorite beer, Stella Artois, but don’t get confused — the name was chosen by a 9-year-old Eden, not by her father! Stella joined the family at the age of four months back in 2010, and she recently celebrated her 13th birthday on May 11. Despite her age, Stella continues to exude the energy and liveliness of a puppy. Her daily routine starts with the important task of seeking attention and indulging in breakfast. Afterwards, Stella takes a quick snooze, only to wake up and resume her quest for more attention and treats. She adds a touch of athleticism to her routine by playing soccer in the yard, followed by another nap to recharge.
Monty and Lucy, approximately three years and seven months old respectively, came into Olive’s care beginning two years ago. They were adopted through the SCPA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). While Olive didn’t chose their names, Lucy is short for Lucifer, due to his red eyes. Since they’re nocturnal animals, they are more active at night, which is when Olive spends time with them, but they like spending their days cuddling, eating, and pissing each other off — they have the habit of stealing food from each other. If they were to have a TikTok account, the theme would likely be food, even more likely — food they stole from each other.
Jack has been a part of Olivia’s life since this January when he was just a month old. Poor little Jack was the runt of the litter and the last to find a home. Despite being the smallest one of the litter, Jack has a mischievous side: he enjoys hiding under the sofa and playfully grabbing people’s feet as they pass by. As expected from a kitten his age, Jack can be a bit of a biter, something Olivia would like to change as her Band-Aid expenses have gone through the roof.
Musa is the 10-month-old feline companion who has been a part of Summayyah’s life since October 2022, joining the family at only 2 months old. Musa wakes up at 6 a.m. to enjoy her breakfast, then settles down for a nap at 9 a.m. when everyone leaves for school or work. Throughout the day, she attempts to escape the house multiple times, which, along with her 1 a.m. zoomies, would be the main theme of her TikTok account. Musa also likes to sit on the kitchen window and indulge in her owner’s plants. It’s a behavior that showcases her curiosity and mischievous nature.
Morgan Parks’ name originates from Thomas Hunt Morgan, an evolutionary biologist, and since he’s Mexican he needed a second name to follow the classic stereotype of having long names. He’s turning five this September and has been Daniel’s companion ever since he was only a month old. He currently lives in Mexico with Daniel’s parents and his routine consists of chasing the sun and barking non-stop at 6:30 p.m. on the dot, doing so until Daniel’s dad gives him a piece of ham. Daniel’s mom says he’s extremely smart as he understands everything she says, which makes her get angrier whenever he does any mischief.
