Demolition becomes political issue in pricey Vancouver

Housing prices have skyrocketed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the past several years, prompted in part by an influx of Chinese investors in property in the Pacific Coast city. As both mortgages and rent have become unaffordable for larger numbers of people, an advocacy group has selected a demolition project site as a place to set up a protest zone to call attention to the problem.

An online article from the Vancouver Sun reports that “housing activists in Burnaby [British Columbia] took over a building that is scheduled for the wrecking ball.”

The Sun says a tent has been set up in front of the building in Burnaby “and about a dozen people planned to occupy the vacated apartment complex that is slated for demolition to make way for high-priced condominiums.”

A spokesperson for a group called Alliance Against Displacement says they want the city’s mayor and city council to create a housing plan “to help low-income earners.” Handouts at the demolition site refer to the current action as part of the Stop Demovictions Burnaby Campaign.

Kaye Bedford of the activist group says elderly people and single mothers had lived at the building on Imperial Street scheduled to be demolished. “Unfortunately, now we have to break the law,” she is quoted as telling the Sun in regard to the new demolition site sit-in tactic.