Old News Stories:
HOMES NOW!
Sunday, October 14th
2pm Victory Square
Cambie and Hastings
March from Victory Square Park to undisclosed squat location
NO OLYMPICS ON STOLEN LAND! 2010 HOMES NOW!
Help open an empty building and defend it! Direct action and political confrontation has made the homeless catastrophe into a political crisis. With a year to go until the next municipal elections, now is the time to force the city into making social housing.
LESS TALK MORE SQUATS!
We demand the CANCELLATION OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES! The immediate implementation of the HOMELESS ACTION PLAN! An ANTI-VACANCY BY-LAW to stop the forceful emptying of buildings by slumlords - and as compensation for the destruction the games have brought on poor communities, the BUILDING OF 2010 UNITS OF SOCIAL HOUSING A YEAR UNTIL THERE ARE HOMES FOR ALL!
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO GIVE HOUSING...
WE WILL TAKE IT!
CIVIL CITY SLEEP OUT
Saturday, August 18th
Rally 8pm, Dinner 9pm
Grandview Park
Commercial Drive
Sam Sullivan’s project Civil City is socially cleansing the poor. As hotels are closed to make way for the Olympics, it has become illegal to be homeless. The public parks have tuned into police states and homeless people are arrest for trying to sleep in them.
We say ‘the parks are for the people not the pigs!’ defeat civil city and reclaim our parks!
Join us in a one night occupation of the park and defend the people who live there. Stand in solidarity and fight for the right to sleep in peace!
Please bring food, blankets and tents
Homes now!
Parks are for People Not Pigs!
Saturday, August 18th
Rally 8pm, Dinner 9pm
Grandview Park
Commercial Drive
APC 'eviction' of MP David Emerson foiled
Tuesday, July 31
Shane Bigham/Dean Recksiedler for News 1130
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Anti-Olympics activists pushing for more social housing struck out this morning in their attempt to 'evict' MP David Emerson from his East Vancouver offices. APC members were met by security guards who had been hustled in to prevent any chaos. Earlier this year the offices of the Premier's aide were ransacked by APC protesters.
David Cunningham with the APC blames the media for tipping off Emerson's office. Cunningham says high-profile people with Olympic connections will continue to be targeted. In fact, he says the APC plans to escalate its actions, but won't say how.
It's part of the APC's campaign to get the government to do more to help the poor and homeless. The protestors say they're planning another 'eviction' in the next day or two.
KEN DOBELL EVICTED BY APC
May 22/07
The Anti-Poverty Committee successfully launched its VANOC eviction campaign by evicting Ken Dobell from his office located at the World Trade and Convention Centre in the Office of the Premiere. His belongings have been put into boxes and thrown into the hall.
The people have announced that Ken Dobell is the perfect mascot for the 2010 games. He proves that there is no conflict between big business and all levels of Government.
Ken Dobell is, among other things, director of the 2010 Legacies Now Society and the Canadian Council for Public-private partnerships. A member of the board of the 2010 Bid Corporation in its early years, Dobell now serves on VANOC’s Board of Directors, where he chairs its Finance Committee.
When not acting as a symbolic figurehead, Kenny rakes in $250-an hour as ‘special adviser’ to the premier Gordon Campbell. Not so coincidentally his second job is as a lobbyist for the City of Vancouver, which has hired him to influence Campbell on development issues. What this amounts to is pillaging public resources for private profit.
This eviction was carried out in a non-violent manner with respect to the workers inside. This is contrary to the evictions that take place every day in the Downtown Eastside. Often the police serve as the City’s eviction service and assist in the displacement of people from their homes. In cases such as the Marr Hotel and the Burns Block, poor people are evicted from their homes violently. In the case of the Burns Block people who had lived there for 20 years where evicted with less then 30 minutes notice. Their belongings thrown to the curb.
So long as people are being evicted from their homes to make room for the 2010 Olympic games, we will continue targeting VANOC representatives in their offices. It is from these offices that life and death decisions are made.
We plan on escalating our siege and making the profiteering off displacing poor people from their homes and territories too costly to continue. To get involved in this campaign and other organizing efforts of the APC.
NO OLYMPICS ON STOLEN NATIVE LAND! NO 2010!
DEMANDS
-
IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION OF THE 2010 OLYMPIC GAMES.
-
DIRECTION OF ALL OLYMPIC FUNDS TO NEW HOUSING AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS.
-
WITHDRAWAL OF COLONIAL OCCUPIERS FROM ALL UNCEDED INDIGENOUS TERRITORY.
-
DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR REINSTATEMENT OF ALL FUNDING CUT TO SOCIAL PROGRAMS BY THE PROVINCIAL LIBERAL GOVERNMENT.
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KEN DOBELL’S IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION FROM AT LEAST TWO OF THREE CONFLICTING POSITIONS.
PROTEST VANOC!
Wednesday May 16th
1pm Peoples Pigeon Park (Carrall & Hastings)
-Free transportation to VANOC office at 3585 Gravely for demo at 1:30-
PROTEST CORPORATE INVASION OF INDIGENOUS TERRITORY!!
PROTEST OLYMPIC GENTRIFICATION!!
PROTEST VANOC'S BULLSHIT BUDGET!!
The Vancouver Olympics Committee (VANOC), the ruling elite of the 2010 Olympic games, have been allowed to conspire in peace behind closed doors while outside people?s homes and land are destroyed.
At their next secret meeting join us in confronting them face-to-face at their headquarters.
BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT OPEN UP - DRIVE THEM OUT!
From This Distance
A Record of the Anti-Poverty Committee
Photos by Neal Rockwell
Friday, May 18th - 8pm
327 Carrall Street
Come (bring your friends!) and celebrate the last 6 months of APC organizing with us! A night of partying into the wee hours - together with a silent auction of black & white photos by Neal Rockwell.
No one will be turned away (suggested donation $0 -$10).
Refreshments will also be available, by donation.
NPA YOUR TIME IS UP!
Wednesday April 25th
Heritage Hall @ 6pm
3102 Main St. (at 15th)
Scrap Civil City! Implement Homeless Action Plan! Enact Housing Moratorium! Reinvest Olympic Slush Fund! Cancel 2010!
The NPA is a failed political party. Their legacy is a brutal assault on poor people with women, indigenous people and racialized communities as the primary targets. Homelessness has increased on mass, as has the policing of poverty. The NPA's political vision is social cleansing and they conduct their brutal business with no real significant 'official' opposition. We the people are defending ourselves and fighting back!
Join us at this demonstration and oppose NPA oppression!
FIGHT CIVIL CITY! FIGHT SOCIAL CLEANSING!
Thursday, April 26th
12pm (noon)
Meet at Burrard Skytrain Station
March to Canada Place
POOR PEOPLE UNDER ATTACK!
WHAT DO WE DO?
STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!
Rally and Speakers
Wed. April 11th @ 1pm
Pigeon Park (Carrall and Hastings)
The residents of the downtown eastside are under attack from local politicians and the Vancouver police. Amongst others the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA) has been singled out in this political assault for its on-going support of poor peoples rights and struggles.
Join us in a community rally with food and speakers and let the cops and politicians know that an attack against one is an attack against all: together we will stand and fight back!
Organized by the Downtown Eastside Residents Association and Supporters of DERA
APC and DERA Raided by VPD
March 30, 2007
The police raided the former office of the Anti-Poverty Committee Thursday night, under the pretext of looking for the Olympic flag that was stolen by the Native Warrior Society nearly a month ago.
The office, located in a DERA building, has not been used by the APC for more than a year. The police arrived at 11:15pm with a search warrant, and left empty-handed about an hour later.
The APC believes that this search was a political maneuver - an attempt by the Vancouver Police Department to drive a wedge between APC and DERA. This strategy has been used in previous efforts by the VPD and the City to neutralize our support and isolate our organization. DERA has made it clear publicly that they have no intention of falling for the cops' bluff and selling us out.
Further, we believe that this search was an act of desperation. The police and colonial powers will do everything in their power to render invisible the Native Warrior Society and minimize all forms of indigenous struggle. The fact is that the Native Warrior Society was able to strike a significant blow by stealing the enemy'’s flag. This was not a symbolic gesture but a revolutionary act and one that has got the colonial cops running scared.
We refuse to be intimidated by the cops. We will continue to stand and fight while the cops and the powers they protect scramble like fools. We laugh in their faces and say bring it on! We ally ourselves with the warriors and we say Fuck the Racist Police! Fuck 2010! No Olympics On Stolen Land!
DEFEND THE PIC HOTEL!
Wednesday, Feb. 28th
12:00 Noon
620 W. Pender
(Between Seymour and Grandville)
The Anti-Poverty Committee calls on supporters to assist in physically
defending the Piccadilly Hotel. Please support tenants who refuse to be
illegally thrown out of their home by preventing city workers to enter the
building in order to close it.
The APC supports all the other organizations efforts in keeping the
building open. But we do believe the capitalist/colonial legal system has
failed the people and direct action is needed to protect people’s homes
from illegal demolition.
We call on allies to stand in solidarity with friends and comrades and
protest this Olympic closure, but we want the city and the police to
understand that the APC will do whatever is reasonably necessary to keep
these buildings open. If they try to close it down, we will fight them
back!
Picture the Struggle is FINALLY here.
Date: Saturday, March 3rd
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Rhizome Cafe (317 E. Broadway)
Cost: $2 - $7 sliding scale (no one turned away)
We will be having a silent auction of local artists work, as well as music from our very own Echolalia, Bex and special guest Ricky!
We will still be accepting art submissions. To submit please contact anna at ahunter@riseup.net
See you there!
5 Arrested as Anti-Poverty Committee Women Occupy Finance Ministers Office
February 21, 2007
The women of the Anti-Poverty Committee (APC) successfully occupied the office of Finance Minister Carole Taylor on monday. At 10:00am five women locked down inside the office, with the support of 20 other APC members.
The APC Womens Committee made the following demands to Carole Taylor and the Liberals:
* Spend the $2 billion surplus on securing safe housing for all women in this province;
* Complete restoration of funding to all social programs cut by the Liberals since 2001.
'Women are dying everyday on the streets, or facing violence and exploitation within the deplorable housing situation in our city. This surplus money has been made on the backs of poor women in the form of massive cuts to welfare, it has to stop' said organizer Stephanie Cameron.
Media and supporters were forced to leave the building at the request of the landlord and under threat of arrest by the VPD, but five women had locked down in the office refusing to leave until they had a guarantee from the Finance Minister that the surplus would be spent on housing and services for women and children.
It took the VPD three hours to remove the remaining women from the office and arrest them. All five are being charged with mischief. All five will be released with mischief charges.
'This surplus was stolen from the poor women and children of this
province,' said organizer Mary Claremount. 'We were just here today to get
it back. This money was stolen through welfare, legal aid and other
social programming cuts. Evictions, homelessness, violence and child
apprehension are the only trickle-down poor women of this province have
seen so far from this government. This wont be the last time Carole
Taylor and the Liberals hear from us.'
Women's Committee Action
February 18, 2007
The women's committee of APC will be having a demonstration and direct action tomorrow to demand the provincial government spend their $2 billion surplus on housing for women, and immediately reinstate all funding to women and children's organizations that have been cut since the liberals came into power in 2001.
The women's committee is asking for all women and men supporters to come out and support the action.
Please meet at 327 Carrall St. tomorrow, Monday, February 19th at 9:00am.
Coffee will be served and we will be leaving by 9:30am transportation will
be provided.
SPEND THE SURPLUS!
REFUSE TO RETREAT!
Native Youth Movement Warriors Targeted & Arrested at Anti-Olympic Protest
NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT
INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT
NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT WARRIOR TARGETED & ARRESTED AT ANTI-OLYMPIC PROTEST IN VANCOUVER, BC, KKKANADA
“THE INDIAN WARS ARE NOT OVER”
(February 13, 2007, unsurrendered Squamish Territory (Vancouver, BC) Three Native Warriors were targeted and arrested yesterday during a protest against the 2010 Winter Olympic Games planned to take place in Vancouver/Whistler, KKKanada. NYM Warrior, Tselletkwe, of the Secwepemc Nation, Gord Hill of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation and Lynn Highway of the Anishnabe Nation and the Indigenous Resistance Organizing Committee (IROC), were hauled away by the Vancouver Police, who are notorious for police terrorism they inflict on Indigenous Peoples.
The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee and the Vancouver Board of Trade (businessmen) were celebrating the unveiling of a “3 year countdown clock” in the downtown business district in Vancouver, marking exactly 3 years until the Olympic Games invade Indigenous Territories here in Vancouver, BC. Just as their festivities were to begin, one Native Warrior stormed the stage and took over the microphone, yelling, “F*#! the Olympics,” until he was captured by Vancouver police and rushed off stage.
Native People from across BC participated in this rally along with non-natives from the Anti-Poverty Committee, who are protesting the gentrification of their neighborhood and the eviction of hundreds from low-income housing in the downtown eastside. A total of seven protesters were arrested during this Anti-Olympic protest.
NYM Warrior Tselletkwe made a statement upon her release, stating “Our land is not for Sale, we are still at war with KKKanada, we have never surrendered our land. We want the whole World to know not to come to our country and to boycott KKKanada and the 2010 Olympic Games. Tourism is not welcome here.”
This is not the first time Natives have been arrested protesting the 2010 Winter Olympics, Pacheedaht, Nuuchahnulth Elder Harriet Nahanee was arrested and sentenced to 14 days in jail for protesting the expansion and development of the Sea-to-Sky Highway, leading from Vancouver to Whistler, in preparation to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The destruction of Indigenous Territories and Sacred Sites must be stopped.
NYM spokesperson, stated in response to the arrests that, “Human and Indigenous Rights violations here in KKKanada must stop, the governments and corporations continue to drive our People from our homeland and destroy our food and medicine harvesting areas and basic necessities to survive our traditional, ancestral way of life. The Olympics is a global event and it will take the global community to awaken their conscience to boycott this 17-day event.”
For more information or to join the Anti-Olympic Coalition contact:
Native Youth Movement
nymcommunications@hotmail.com
(604)682-3269 ext. 7845 or
Warrior Publications
Warrior-Publications@hotmail.com
NYM Communications
NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT
FIGHT FOR LIFE
WARRIORS UNITE FROM ALASKA TO ARGENTINA
SOCIAL HOUSING FOR ALL IN NEED!
Monday December 18th
12pm from Pigeon Park (Hastings & Carrall)
- free food and transportation to and from demo -
The fight for decent housing is heating up this winter. Join the APC in presenting our People’s Budget to local Liberal MLA Lorne Mancourt and demanding that the $2 billion surplus be invested in decent housing for all in need!
NOT ONE MORE CENT SPENT, UNTIL EVERY PERSON IS HOUSED!
People’s Budget for Economic Human Rights!
The Anti-Poverty Committee demands that the BC Liberals spend their estimated 2 billion dollar surplus on immediate housing for all in need.
There is no such thing as a ‘housing crisis,’ there is only a political crisis. There is more than enough money to provide every poor working and unemployed person and family with decent housing. But while the politicians consider us their surplus, they amass billions of dollars made at the expense of our poverty.
We demand that not one more cent be spent until every person is housed!
Our proposed breakdown of how the Liberals must spend our $2 billion surplus:
SOCIAL HOUSING NOW!
We demand that the BC Liberals immediately begin construction on no less than 2000 units of fully subsidized social housing a year. This will cost $200 million a year and $10 million per year in operating costs.
It’s important not to be fooled by the Liberals claims of building social housing. What they aren’t telling us while we pat them on the back is that the little money they are spending on housing is federal health money. What they want us to believe is social housing is in fact assisted living for the elderly. Gordon Campbell makes is grandstanding on the backs of seniors.
The fact that the government itself admits that providing social housing is less expensive then the consequences of homelessness, and yet refuses to do so speaks to the truth that this government is a brutal one.
If driven by cost efficiency, as the government and tax-fanatics often excuse themselves, we would not be warehousing people in shelters but in decent homes. Under this capitalism our suffering is not an economic fall-out but rather a calculated surplus used to exploit us further by keeping wages and employment down. We say no more!
RENT REPARATIONS
Currently under the Liberals latest housing plan humorlessly titled ‘Housing Matters,’ rent subsidies have been made available to a very few working people. Under this deceitful plan persons or families can only receive supplements if no one in the family is on income assistance and only if every member of the household has ‘full citizenship’. The cut-off for subsides is fixed so that, for example: a single mother with 3 kids can only get a $200 subsidy for an apartment that costs less than $800 a month!
Housing minister Rich Coleman’s former job was working for landlord associations, so with his expertise in slumlording he knows full well how astronomically priced even the worst hovels in this province are.
We demand that rent reparations be paid out to all low-income renters. There are more then 65 000 households in BC paying more then half their income on rent. We have paid too much for too damn long! Bring in a rent freeze and compensate anybody who’s currently being bled dry by paying over a third of their monthly income into shelter. Housing rights are our human rights!
RAISE THE DAMN RATES ALREADY!
Welfare rates must be raised to levels that people can live decent dignified lives. To raise the rates 50% is $500 million. What else can we say about that…!
PAYBACK TIME!
The BC Liberals have successfully disempowered poor people’s ability to fight back by destroying our community services. Almost every string of our social security net has been cut. Our communities have been slashed and burned by funding cuts and altogether closures of the few places we felt safe.
We demand that every service that fell under the Liberal blade be reinserted. That the $200 million stolen from social programs and services since 2001 be paid back with interest!
Stop sending our community to jail or deporting them because there is no more legal aid! Stop the eviction factories from throwing families out into the streets because they can not legally challenge the landlords! Stop abusing us because there is no access to a Human Rights Tribunal! Stop stealing our children because there is no care! Stop kicking us in the teeth when we are down – or we will stop you!
AND SO MUCH MORE…
These simple demands barely cost 2/3 of our surplus. In fact we are fine with not taking this money that has been saved at our expense; we would much rather have the health of our communities restored with the money that is currently being squandered by the police, prisons, corporate subsidies and the damn Olympics.
Our government’s priorities are clear. Profit before people. Based on this calculation they are unfit to govern. Because they will not house people we must do so by whatever means. Our government will not give unless forced. We will only get what we organize to take.
EMERGENCY Housing Action!
December 11th
MONDAY @ 11am
The Anti-Poverty Committee has launched our anti-Liberal housing campaign with a bang!
A march of over a hundred protesters made our way to an empty building on the corner of Hastings and Gore that is owned by the BC Liberals. Our intention was to force our way into the building but the police response was too brutal. Protesters then erected large structures on the sidewalk and surrounded them by linking arms.
The police reacted with brutal force, arresting at least 10 and violently tearing down the shelters. After an hour of confrontation the police finally retreated. We then fell back to our office to organise for the next strike.
Which brings us to tomorrow, Monday December 11th. We are calling on people to join us in a non-violent action that will leave from our office at 327 Carrall at 11pm.
We believe the Liberals must be forced to provide housing. Our campaigns will escalate in disruption to further this political crisis. Only the power of the people will create housing and we intend to win!
HOMES NOW!
Sun Dec. 10th
2pm @ Pigeon Park
(Carrall & Hastings)
Continuing our successes in making the government build social housing the APC will takeover a provincially owned building and turn it over to the people!
On December 10th we will celebrate the International Day of Human Rights by providing poor people with their most basic right of shelter.
Leading up to the 2007 budget announcment with over a billion dollar surplus, we are waging an escalating campaign targeting the Liberals demanding they not spend one more cent until every person is housed!
THEY WONT GIVE IT, SO WE WILL TAKE IT
Support and supplies needed
We are requesting any donations of blankets, sleeping bags, building material, warm clothing, food, coffee, ECT. Please drop off any donations at our office located at 327 Carrall St. Open hours are Tuesday-Friday 2-6pm (please call first at 604.682.3276 and check out our website at http://apc.resist.ca for directions). Any financial donations can be dropped off as well or mailed to 1-12 E. Hastings V6A 1N1
* New time and location *
SHUT DOWN OLYMPIC SLUSH FUND!
WOMEN'S HOUSING NOW!
Please come rally at 5pm out front of the DTES Women’s Center (302 Colombia) that is currently being occupied by women demanding that it be open 24 hours to provide safe shelter.
We will march from there to the Library and shut down the city’s budget meeting.
If you are unable to attend the march please met us at the Georgia St. facing entrance.
Monday Nov. 20th @ 7pm
Vancouver Public Library
(Georgia and Homer inside entrance)
Meet the Anti-Poverty Committee at the downtown library on Monday night to SHUT DOWN the city’s budget meeting.
These budget meetings are being held under the radar and pretend to be "community consultations." Wedged between budget recommendations from the city is a proposal for a $20 million slush fund that will be extorted from public funds.
WE DEMAND THAT NOT ONE MORE CENT BE SPENT, UNTIL EVERY WOMEN IS HOUSED!!
The city must do everything in their power to ensure that no woman is left homeless. The money wasted on the Olympics could have housed every homeless woman in Vancouver. WE SAY NO MORE!
The city thought they could sneak this money through but we caught them dirty handed. Join us in shutting this meeting down! Demand sincere community involvement and social housing now!
UPDATE
Support the Fight for Women's Housing
8pm, November 20th
The Downtown Eastside Women's Centre Elders Council, the women at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, and supporters are currently maintaining the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre as a 24-hour space for women's housing. The women, predominantly indigenous women, are demanding that the city respond to the crisis in women's housing and provide housing for women immediately.
The city has a budget meeting tomorrow, November 20, and the women from the Centre, along with allies and supporters, will be marching to demand that the city take action to provide housing for women now! Please join the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre in their struggle for women's housing.
Monday November 20 at 5 pm
Gather at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre
302 Columbia st- corner Cordova
For more info you can reach Bernie and the women at DEWC at 778-861-4979
or email at skundaal@yahoo.ca
support the fight for women's housing
Sunday Nov. 19th @ 5pm
DTES Women’s Centre
(302 Columbia St.)
Hey folks,
The Elders Council and the women at the Downtown Eastside Women's Center are calling on allies and supporters to come down and support the occupation for the right to women's housing. The center will be occupied for at least 24 hours tomorrow with the demand that the centre as well as other spaces be open to women on a 24-hour basis and housing be provided immediately.
Please bring blankets, food, etc.
For more info you can reach Bernie and the women at DEWC at 604-681-8480
CROSS COUNTRY UPDATES
November 11th
OCAP Squats a Building in the Mayor of Toronto's Neighbourhood.
Read an account of the action on the OCAP website -->
Watch a video of the action on Homelessnation.org -->
Victoria's Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness Forces the City to take Action on Housing
Read a news article on Victoria's homelessness strategy -->
News Report
Anti-Poverty Committee targets Vancouver mayor in latest demonstration
November 08, 2006 - 9:37 pm
By: Katharine Kitts
Vancouver (NEWS1130) - Many of Vancouver's homeless gathered with the Anti-Poverty Committee to protest a dinner and speech by Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan. More than a hundred protestors showed up to have their say.
Banners with messages demanding an end to homelessness in Vancouver rose above steaming bowls of soup that were handed out to the hungry and cold. The message was loud and clear from members of the Anti-Poverty Committee to Mayor Sam Sullivan. The mayor spoke at the dinner hosted by the Vancouver Association.
David Cunningham with the Anti-Poverty Committee says they showed up for a few reasons. Commuters honked in support of the activists and the contrast was something hard to miss. The small bowls of vegetable soup were clearly not on the menu for the dinner planned for the people inside.
VICTORIA'S AD HOC COMMITTEE TO END HOMELESSNESS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION ON HOUSING
November 9th
From: Ad-Hoc Committee to End Homelessness
To: City of Victoria: Mayor, Councillors and Staff
-
Provide $190,000 Operating Funds to Open 50 Overnight Shelter Beds at Our Place, 713 Johnson St., for Winter 2006/2007 (until March 31/07)
-
Purchase/lease one of the following vacant buildings and convert to long-term affordable housing, with funds from the City of Victoria Affordable Housing Trust Fund and CRD Regional Housing Trust Fund:
-
Janion Building, 1614 Store St. (owner: Clara Beatrice Kramer) - 24 units
-
Caldwell Apartments, 2321 Cook St. (owner Robin Kimpton) - 14 units
-
The Wing, 109 Wilson St (currently in receivership) - 48 units
-
Crystal Garden/BC Experience Building, 713 Douglas St. (owner: Provincial Capital Commission) - approx 60 units
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Old CRD Building, 524 Yates St (owner: CRD) - approx 80 units
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Hudson's Bay Company building, 1701 Douglas St - approx 450 units
Draft and implement a Vacant & Derelict Buildings By-law, using City of Winnipeg By-law No. 35/2004 as a template, empowering the City to take title to buildings that have been vacant for 5 years, to be converted for affordable housing
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Write to Community Services Minister Ida Chong requesting amendments to the Community Charter authorizing the abovementioned By-Law
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Legalize Secondary Suites in all neighbourhoods in the City of Victoria, and review building permit and inspection fees/regulations that impede the expansion of this kind of affordable housing
Respectfully submitted by the Ad-Hoc Committee to End Homelessness
c/o victoria@communitysolidarity.org / 250-920-9091
HOUSING FOR ALL NOW
Watch a video with one of the activists involved in the Victoria squat -->
DINNER WITH THE MAYOR!
2 W. Hastings (corner of Carrall)
Wednesday Nov. 8th 5:30
Join the Sam Sullivan soup line and demand social housing, rent control, squatters rights and the end of policing homelessness. As mayor and chair of the police board Sam can do these things, but only if we make him!
November 6th, 2006
Thanks to everyone who came out to the fundraiser and donated to the housing campaign and a big thank you to all the amazing musicians and to Rhizome Cafe for hosting the event.
Squatters Removed From 2530 Cambie by Riot Cops
November 1, 2006 6pm
At 5:00pm the Vancouver Police Department sent 40 officers in full riot gear, equipped with tear gas canisters and rubber-bullet guns, into the Women's City Hall Housing Takeover at 2530 Cambie Street.
Barricaded into the second floor of the building, the eight remaining protesters sat together repeating, 'there are eight of us here, we are not resisting arrest' as the cops struggled to get into the room. All eight were removed from the building - only one was arrested.
To date there have been four arrests during the City Hall Women's Housing Takeover. Three supporters were arrested earlier today and one of the occupiers was arrested coming out. All four are still in police custody and legal support is in place, working to get them all released.
There will be a meeting of the Anti-Poverty Committee tomorrow, Thursday November 2nd at 6pm at 327 Carrall Street.
Thank you to everyone who came and supported our sisters and brothers inside the building and out.
For more information on how to get involved in this escalating campaign, please e-mail us at apc@resist.ca or call 604-682-3276.
UPDATE - Another supporter arrested
November 1, 2006 2:00
The Anti-Poverty Committee is still occupying a building at 2530 Cambie Street (latest call-out with details is attached below).
At 2pm, a third supporter was arrested as he attempted to send a sleeping bag to the people inside. People inside the building and out shouted their anger as police arrested and removed another supporter.
A press conference and rally are being held at the building today at 5pm to show community support for the people inside and condemn the actions of the police as well as the inaction of the City.
For more information about how to help, call 604-728-9550 to speak with an organizer.
URGENT – Women’s City Hall Housing Takeover needs your support!
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
5:00pm (earlier for those who are able)
Support Rally
2530 Cambie Street (near Cambie & Broadway)
This morning, Kim Kerr and Thomas Malenfant were arrested and charged with obstruction while attempting to get essential supplies inside the occupied building. Since the building was surrounded by police yesterday afternoon, they have not allowed anything or anyone to enter the building. This includes water, blankets and food. Police also spent the night harassing supporters who were staying outside the building.
The APC is demanding the immediate release of Kim and Thomas without any charges. Until this happens, we are not entering into any kind of negotiations with police about exiting the building.
Please come down and join supporters as soon as you can. We are especially asking that people come out for a support rally at 5pm this evening.
News Report
2 activists arrested at new Vancouver squat
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | 1:05 PM PT CBC News
Two anti-poverty activists have been arrested by Vancouver police for taking blankets and water into a city-owned building being occupied by squatters, just down the street from city hall.
Kim Kerr of the Downtown Eastside Residents Association and a second person were arrested late Wednesday morning at the building at the corner of Cambie Street and West Broadway.
Kim Kerr, one of the leaders of the occupation, was one of two people arrested on Wednesday.Kim Kerr, one of the leaders of the occupation, was one of two people arrested on Wednesday.
Police said the pair could be charged with obstruction.
About 20 people took over the abandoned building on Tuesday, in an effort to draw attention to the city's homeless situation.
Kerr, one of the leaders of the latest squat, also helped organize the recent occupation of Gastown's North Star Hotel, which ended with arrests of six protesters.
Police had been posted at the new squat site to prevent any supplies from being taken into the protesters.
When asked about that strategy on Wednesday, Mayor Sam Sullivan said he will not tolerate the illegal occupation of someone else's property.
IF THEY DON'T GIVE IT WE TAKE IT
THE HOMELESS PLAN IN ACTION
October 31, 2006 10pm
Today the Anti-Poverty Committee and supporters took an empty city-owned building near City Hall and stated that it will be turned into women's emergency housing.
About 150 people gathered today on the lawns of City Hall, ready to occupy the city chambers and demand the city council buy a hotel and convert it to social housing, instead we took housing into our own hands and opened up a building set to be demolished by the city.
The building at Cambie and Broadway is a heritage building built in the 1920s to house women workers. The building is to be demolished to make way for the RAV/Canada Line City Hall Station. The former tenants were evicted in the past year after the city voted against the city staff's recommendation to preserve the building.
The police are treating the situation as an occupation and are not allowing anyone to enter the building. They are blocking the doors and currently, there are around twenty of our comrades inside. Some supplies have reached the squatters however, the police are not letting anyone or anything enter the building.
Having this housing for women is crucial. Women have been brutally
attacked by government cuts. Changes to welfare laws, closures of sexual assault centres and women centres, changes to poverty, law, legal aid and family law have all increased the desperation and poverty levels amongst women.
With the coming cold and with deepening levels of poverty it is even more dire that we create spaces to house women who are in need of assistance. If the city won't do it, then we will do it ourselves.
Please come out to 2530 Cambie St. (Cambie and Broadway) to show your support. If you have supplies such as blankets, water or flashlights, or food please bring them too. Come out or call 604-728-9550.
News Report
Homeless advocates take over building near city hall
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 | 4:45 PM
CBC News
A group of advocates for the homeless has taken over another abandoned building in Vancouver, this time just a block from city hall.
About 20 protesters occupied the boarded-up, two-storey building at Cambie Street and West Broadway on Tuesday afternoon and say they plan to stay.
The Anti-Poverty Committee had planned to occupy the council chambers at Vancouver City Hall.
A group of about 100 gathered on the north lawn at city hall early Tuesday afternoon, saying they were set to march in on a city council meeting to voice their displeasure with the current homeless situation.
Instead, they marched in the opposite direction, down the hill away from city hall to the building at 2530 Cambie St., which is a high-profile location at a very busy intersection.
The publicly owned property, and the building next to it, are slated to become the site of the Broadway station for the Canada Line rapid transit service between downtown Vancouver and the airport.
Trying to make a point
Spokesman Tim Kerr of the Downtown Eastside Residents Association said the new squat site will be reserved for aboriginal women, as the group is trying to draw attention to the plight of people who need housing help most.
Kerr, who helped organize last week's occupation of the derelict North Star Hotel in Gastown, said he's trying to make the point that the city has numerous vacant buildings and 1,300 people homeless on the streets with winter approaching.
Police ended last week's squat at the request of the owner of the North Star, arresting six protesters.
Mayor Sam Sullivan has responded to the latest squat by issuing a news release saying he will hold a news conference on Wednesday morning to deal with the homeless crisis.
The mayor says he will outline a five-point motion that will be presented to council later this week that will provide immediate action. It will include a call for emergency funding to keep some of the city's single-room-occupancy hotels open over the winter.
SQUATTERS TO OCCUPY SULLIVAN'S OFFICE
October 25th 5:30pm
The Anti-Poverty Committee is sending a delegation to mayor Sam Sullivan’s office on Thursday at 2pm. If Sullivan refuses to meet with the activists they intend to occupy his office until he does.
Mary Clermount explained, “We want Sam to have a sincere discussion with us so that we can work together in figuring out the best way to move forward with his parties Homeless Action Plan. We will not leave until he speaks with us.”
She went on to add, “All we want is that the politician’s who made this homeless plan, to act on it. So far we are the only political organizations to put the plan into action. Having a plan does not create shelter. The NPA needs to put their money where their mouth is.”
When asked to reply to Sam Sullivan’s repeated explanation that the city owns several potential sites, she said, “We have analyzed the information from those sites and estimate that building social housing on those properties owned by the city would be roughly over $32 million. We are not asking for all sites to be developed all at once. Surly with all the money the city has spent on the Olympics we can have some left over for homes not games.”
If the NPA refuses to immediately develop one of these properties or convert an empty hotel the APC will squat one or more of those sites and open them to the homeless population.
“We have proven that we can take the buildings and bring out support. At the last squat we took only one floor and left without confrontation. If the NPA forces us to escalate our campaign we will do so with a higher level of confrontation. We will not easily be moved.”
Police Take down North Star Squat
October 25th
Yesterday just after 1pm, while over a 150 people rallied outside the police entered the North Star Squat and removed the half a dozen squatters inside. The Anti-Poverty Committee had demanded that Sam Sullivan, the mayor and leader of the Non-Partisan Association (NPA), meet with the squatters by 1pm Tuesday afternoon to talk about the NPA's promise to buy one hotel a year and convert it to social housing. Sam Sullivan, the mayor of a city well-known for the large number of people forced to sleep on the street every night and the huge lack of affordable housing, cowardly refused to speak with the squatters.
About 30 police officers marched down the street and entered the hotel to remove the squatters while the crowd outside screamed "Homeless people under attack, what do we do: Stand Up, Fight Back." The crowd then followed the police wagon up Hastings to the police station while drumming and singing a warrior song. The squatters were released from police custody around 5pm.
This is only the beginning of an escalating campaign for social housing. Next Tuesday we take the fight to City Hall...
News Report
Police evict Vancouver squatters
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 | 5:46 PM
CBC News
Vancouver police have moved in and ousted a small group of homeless activists from an abandoned hotel in the city's Downtown Eastside.
Police read a final warning before 20 officers entered the vacant North Star hotel on Tuesday afternoon and removed the six squatters one by one.
There was no resistance by the protesters and the eviction took place without incident.
As this was happening, a large crowd gathered on the street in front of the hotel shouting, "No homes, no peace."
When the police wagon headed up Main Street en route to the police station, about 100 people followed it.
There, they staged a second demonstration, facing a double line of police officers blocking the front door of the Main Street police station.
More squats planned
David Cunningham of the Anti-Poverty Committee, which organized the hotel occupation, said there will be similar protests.
He warned more squatters could take over another building in the troubled neighbourhood as early as Wednesday.
Cunningham said his group will keep up the pressure until Vancouver city council agrees to meet with it to discuss social housing needs.
The protesters had moved into the hotel on Sunday, following the decision by Vancouver city council to put off a proposed moratorium on the conversion of single-room residential hotels.
Guelph action in Support of APC
News Report
Activists push to put poverty on agenda
GUTS members gather at city tavern to celebrate Anti-Poverty Day of Action
THANA DHARMARAJAH
GUELPH MERCURY
GUELPH (Oct 23, 2006) Poverty advocates rallied at a downtown bar to send a loud message to incoming city councillors to wake up to the poverty in their wards. "Trim the Fat off the Pigs, not the People," read a banner that greeted motorists at the bridge near the Church of Our Lady as they drove up Gordon Street.
"We want a council that is accountable to all residents of Guelph and that doesn't ignore that poverty is a huge problem in Guelph," said 25-year-old Melanie Wilson, a member of the Guelph Union of Tenants and Supporters (GUTS). She gathered with at least 30 other GUTS supporters at the Albion Hotel yesterday afternoon on an Anti-Poverty Day of Action called by the Anti-Poverty Committee of Vancouver. Those in Vancouver are demanding the conversion of empty buildings to social housing and protesting the displacement of low-income families through the gentrification of poor neighbourhoods.
In Guelph, people gathered to hear from GUTS as well as speakers from the Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca, Mexico, about poverty issues. Wilson said in the last five years she's lived in Guelph, council has made decisions that neglect those living in poverty.
"Council doesn't seem to be taking any action," Wilson said. "Instead it seems the city is subsidizing rich suburban developers."
Guelph has some of the lowest development charges in southern Ontario, Wilson said, which leaves a funding gap. "We're not getting the tax revenue to support social programs," she said.
In Guelph, there are at least 2,800 people on a waiting list for social housing, according to the Guelph and Wellington Housing Committee.
GUTS member Andrea Bennett said every month there are 83 new people added to the wait list, while only 17 move out of social housing. "It represents a widening gap that we need to be addressing," she said. Social programs need to be supported before this year's police budget is increased, Bennett said. Police are asking for an increase of $800,000, which includes funds to hire an additional downtown beat officer, Wilson added, noting that it doesn't help address the issue of homelessness. "You need to address 'Why there is poverty?' instead of trying to calm fears that are based on prejudice," she said.
Building Squatted in Victoria
October 23rd 5:00pm
A building was squatted in downtown Victoria in solidarity with the APC squat and to demand that the regional governments and provincial governments build social housing. The Victoria riot squad shot tear gas into the building and arrested former APC member and Victory Squat resident Craig.
Communique from Victoria
COMMUNIQUE #1
VICTORIA'S HOMELESS SQUAT JANION BUILDING DEMAND EMERGENCY & LONG-TERM HOUSING FOR ALL
Monday, October 23, 2006
VICTORIA, BC--A dozen homeless people and supporters have occupied the Janion Building in downtown Victoria, BC, a three-storey building at the corner of Store and Pandora streets that has been vacant for nearly two decades.
"We have opened this building to provide emergency housing," participants said in a statement. Homelessness is an emergency that is growing worse. The City, Province, Feds and police have not responded to Victoria's growing homelessness crisis. So we have taken action ourselves."
The Ad-Hoc Committee to End Homelessness has mobilized in defense of the Store Street Squat. Consisting of church members, trade unionists, community activists, and other concerned citizens, the Committee is encouraging Victoria residents to visit the squat immediately to prevent police from evicting the inhabitants of Victoria's newest emergency shelter.
The participants in the squat have begun renovations in the derelict building, with drills, saws, hammers, and 2X4s to make it livable for the winter.
"This building has remained vacant long enough," one participant said. "It is now open to provide the housing that decision-makers have refused to provide."
-30-
News Report
SQUATTERS REFUSE TO LEAVE JANION BUILDING
CFAX 1070
Oct 23, 2006
A group of homeless people are still squatting in an abandoned building downtown.
The ad-hoc committee on homelessness is outside supporting the group...who say they'll be there until regional governments and the province agree to fund more affordable housing.
Committee member Ben Isitt says the squatters are prepared to stay in the Janion Building for the long-haul...but are also ready to be arrested.
Isitt says the homeless group has been planning this squat for over a month, and are well equipped for a long stay.
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED AT SQUAT!
October 23, 2006 11:00am
Please find time today to make your way down to 8 W. Hastings (beside pigeon park) to support the occupation of North Star hotel.
The top floor of building is occupied by a handful of people who are demanding that the NPA immediately convert the building into social housing.
We request your solidarity on site. If you have any questions please contact us at the APC office at 604.682.3276, 327 Carrall (beside Pigeon Park).
HOUSING NOW!
Report back from housing occupation
October 22nd 8:00pm
APC occupies the former North Star hotel.
The empty building formally known as the North Star Hotel is currently being occupied by a handful of people. A demonstration organized by the Anti-Poverty Committee marched to the building with 200-250 protesters. Occupiers inside hung banners out the top story windows as the march rallied in front of the building.
Currently the APC is waiting for an official police order before moving people into the building. The police have stated that they will have a meeting with the city Monday morning and then make there position known. The police have stated to lawyers that they will not move on the building until after that meeting.
Over the evening shifts have been organized to support the occupation. In the morning a call-out has been made for supporters to attend a breakfast meeting at 8 am at the APC office to discuss the on going situation.
For more information on how to get involved please contact the APC office
at 604.682.3276 or come by the office at 327 Carrall St.
more photos -->
an article on the squat -->
