Demands

Recommendation 1: Eliminate the enforcement of Street and Traffic By-Laws against people who rely on public space.

Municipal policy on confiscation

Recommendation 8: The City of Vancouver should develop a policy on the confiscation of belongings by City Engineering Workers and police which recognizes the fundamental harms caused by the confiscation of belongings from people who rely on public space. The City should instruct its employees to end the confiscation of the belongings of people who rely on public space, especially necessities of life such as shelter, clothing, medication, and important personal items. When City staff must confiscate personal belongings, the City must provide at least 24 hours of advance notice, and when confiscation is justified, direct staff to issue receipts for belongings and cash, details on retrieval, and clear instructions on how people can get their property back. Any confiscated belongings must be stored in an accessible location within the DTES that people can easily attend.

Conclusion

Recommendation 10: Ending Street Sweeps will require cross-department collaboration between the City of Vancouver, Park Board, and Vancouver Police Department. Each of these institutions must commit to the elimination of Street Sweeps. By eliminating costly and traumatic Street Sweeps, the City could fund peer-led programming, including community clean-ups, street and sidewalk maintenance, vending support, and the management of storage facilities.