This is the 11th in the series of reports “Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside: Past and Present.” The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood with severe issues, amongst them, poverty, homelessness and drug overdose, all of which have intensified with the pandemic.
We spoke to Robin and Donny, who asked to be identified by first name only. They both work construction, live in the Downtown Eastside and hang out in Victory Square after work. Donny lives in a single-room occupancy hotel (SRO) and says that he usually spends all his waking hours outside and away from his apartment. Both he and Robin are not allowed guests. This is not ideal because Donny wants to live with his family and Robin wants to start a family. They feel that living this way is not healthy.
Each day this week, we’ll publish another of these interviews.
Watch the full series here.
Jase Tanner has worked in the film industry for 30 years where he frequently serves as a shop steward. During this time he’s been active in social justice issues and has produced a handful of short, web-based documentaries.
Emma Gregory recently graduated the Langara journalism program. She is interested in animals, agriculture, power dynamics, and the difference between free trade and fair trade. She believes that she is being spied on by her computer, but only for the mundane purpose of market research.
