Downtown Eastside Declaration
Downtown Eastside DECLARATION
Concerned residents, business owners and community members at large have come together out of necessity to compose this document and to manifest change in our neighbourhood ultimately improving the quality of life, environment, standards of living and health for everyone in the Downtown Eastside.
We represent numerous voices in the community that have not been heard or those who have chosen to remain silent for fear of retribution. Until now, the predominant voices heard have been advocacy groups and not for profit organizations representing only marginalized residents.
The current set of policies and standards have been ineffective for the community. We are for positive change and oppose ghettoization of our neighbourhood regardless of socio-economic position.
1- to create a safe and healthy environment for all members of the community especially for senior citizens, women and children.
2- to encourage new business and support the prosperity and growth of those businesses in the same manner as other communities in Vancouver
3- To protect all members of the community, but most especially those most vulnerable, from all predatory criminal activities on our streets and in our alleys. Â This includes but is not limited to narcotics and sex trafficking, and the inherent cycle of violence these industries create, and to support existing and new harm reduction sites and promote an increase of intelligent, long term and effective addiction recovery services in the DTES.
    The degradation of the community over the last 6 months is alarming. There is an increasing blatant disregard for basic humanity and the law.
Our philosophy aims to re-examine and reinforce the current governmentâs stated action plan and hold them accountable. We expect to see problem solving on a case by case basis as government addresses, executes and completes tasks necessitated by the community to ensure itâs overall health, viability and sustainability.
We feel the government must maintain statistics to ensure that programs that donât work get cancelled or re-evaluated as need be and that the programs that do work continue to receive the funding and support they need.
 Be it knowingly or out of neglect the government has enabled the degradation of a key historic and economic cornerstone of the city. We demand the same checks and balances as any other community in Vancouver. We will no longer tolerate watching our community erode under the neglect of our elected representatives.
You donât stop asking questions just because you donât have the answers.
