On October 25th, 2023, the Vancouver Police Department raided the homes and arrested two people allegedly behind the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF). DULF is one of the few initiatives working to fix the social crisis driven by the unpredictability of the drug supply in British Columbia.
In recent months we have witnessed a moral panic over shoplifting and the rise of terms such as “violent shoplifting.” Journalists and “experts” have pushed this narrative along, but a quick browse of mainstream media articles suggests that the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has been a major force in pushing public fear over shoplifting.
This piece takes a critical look at the nonprofit housing landscape in Vancouver, where a small number of nonprofit housing organizations – among them PHS and Atira – receive the lion’s share of public funding and other resources to provide housing for people living with low incomes.
Granville Island is a hub for Vancouver’s tourism industry. The Island’s vendors and makers, who create everything from traditionally made brooms to small batch spirits, trade in the image of authenticity. That this image is built upon the skill and toil of workers is a commonly ignored detail. With the strike at Granville Island Brewing Company (GIB) entering its sixth week, we see the rough edges of this crafty branding.