Resources

On October 19, 2024, British Columbians will head to the polls for the upcoming provincial election. British Columbians are facing a multitude of issues, some of which we see exacerbated amongst the community FIRST serves in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. We need government action now, and together we have an excellent opportunity to organize and leverage collective action. Ahead of election day, we invite you to join us in advocacy action on two key issues: vacancy control and safe supply. By focusing on these issues, we can collectively prevent people from becoming homeless, and prevent people from dying from overdoses caused by a tainted supply of drugs.

Our Invitation

We are organizing an advocacy campaign directed at each of the four primary BC political party leaders (Premier David Eby, BC NDP; Kevin Falcon, BC United; John Rustad, Conservative Party of BC; Sonia Furstenau, Green Party of BC), encouraging them to act on housing and drug policy.

Collective action has the power to influence political change. We invite you to sign our online pledge forms:

BC Needs Vacancy Control
BC Needs Safe Supply

About the Issues:

Housing Policy: Vacancy Control
BC tops two undesirable lists: the eviction capital of Canada and the most unaffordable housing in Canada. Rent is out of control, but it doesn’t have to be. FIRST UNITED is a provincial leader in housing justice. Through our extensive research and expertise we have developed a comprehensive law reform platform that protects tenants, reduces community displacement, and prevents homelessness. Earlier in 2024, the provincial government adopted several of FIRST UNITED’s recommendations. However, one recommendation that has not yet been accepted is vacancy control. Vacancy control has the potential to make the greatest impact for the most people in BC.

Vacancy control is when the allowable annual rent increases apply to the rental unit, regardless of a change of landlord or tenant. Right now, landlords are strongly incentivized to evade rent control by forcing tenant turnover through bad-faith evictions. Through evictions, landlords can increase rent by unlimited amounts. We see this happen across the province. Seniors, people of colour, LGBTQ2S+, and low-income people are at highest risk of homelessness and displacement through these bad-faith evictions, but people of all walks of life and incomes are negatively impacted.

Vacancy control will disincentivize that. It will stabilize rents and prevent people from all walks of life from becoming homeless. This is what’s needed.

Drug Policy: Safe Supply
Since 2016, over 14,000 people in British Columbia have died from toxic drug poisoning. They are friends and family members, students and parents, lawyers and construction workers, those with stable and high-paying jobs and people experiencing homelessness. The overdose crisis is not limited to the Downtown Eastside—although 2-3 people in this small community die from overdose daily—it is not limited to those experiencing addiction. The overdose crisis is at high risk of worsening if action is not taken now.

The reason so many are dying from overdose is because the supply of drugs is unregulated and tainted. The issue is further compounded by a lack of resources and harmful policies: there are not enough safe consumption sites, recriminalization puts people at heightened risk, and immediate access to detox and treatment are not currently available.

However, the bottom line is that deaths occur because people do not have access to a safe and regulated supply of drugs.

Disinformation and fear mongering have taken over the public narrative and have dire consequences. Safe supply is an evidence-based approach that will allow people to survive, stabilize their lives, and be alive until they can or want to access treatment. Safe supply is the courageous policy needed to end the overdose crisis.

Digital Assets

Feel free to use and share these assets widely, and tag us at @FirstUnitedDTES on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).

Facebook Frames
Download customized Facebook frames to add to your Facebook profile photo.

Instructions:

1. Go to https://www.twibbonize.com/u/firstuniteddtes.
2. Click on the #VacancyControlforBC or #SafeSupplyforBC campaign.
3. Close any pop-up ads
4. Click “Choose Photo” button.
5. Select the photo you want to use for your Facebook photo.
6. Click the “Download” button.
7. Click “Download” button again.
8. Upload as your Facebook profile photo.

Social Media Graphics
Vacancy Control:

Safe Supply:

Online Panel Discussion

We’re also partnering with the Pacific Mountain Regional Council for an online panel discussion on Wednesday, October 2 about these issues. We encourage you to share this information with your community and attend the discussion to learn more about the issues. Learn more on Pacific Mountain Regional Council’s Anti-Poverty Fall Webinar Series.