A new Chinatown Advisory Committee rigged for gentrifier supporters
Why the new neighbourhood advisory committee is highly problematic
There’s a new Chinatown Advisory Committee created by the City of Vancouver again! This follows the 30-person Chinatown advisory committee that lasted several years, but got their final plan defunded by city council.
There’s something highly problematic with the new Chinatown Advisory Committee.
To set the stage: This committee can range from 12-20 people and will be determined by Mayor and Council.
Anyone who wants to be on the committee will have to apply (applications are due Aug 30) unless you’re part of the following organizations:
Do these organizations sound familiar?
The majority of these organizations supported Beedie’s gentrifying 105 Keefer condo building (now renamed to 570 Columbia St) — with some of them even signing a letter in support of the condo project that will usher in gentrification and the cultural erasure of the neighbourhood.
Specifically, the organizations are Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Chinese Benevolent Association, SUCCESS, Vancouver Chinatown BIA, Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association, and the Chinese Cultural Centre.
These were also the same organizations that initially kicked Chinatown Together and our friends at Queer Lunar New Year out of participating in the Chinatown Spring Festival Parade.
Why should organizations that support the gentrification of Chinatown and actively tried to exclude queer and trans youth and seniors from participating in the largest annual community parade automatically get seats at the table on this new Chinatown Advisory Committee?
If the argument is that critical community organizations should have representation outright, why aren’t important community-serving organizations like Yarrow Society, which have been around just as long and arguably do more than many of these organizations, granted automatic seats too?
How is this advisory committee equitable and representative if most of its membership is predetermined?
It’s not. It’s already rigged from the start.
In fact, even though the public is welcome to apply, the mayor and council don’t have to select any of them since the pre-determined organizations themselves already mostly fill the quota of 12 seats.
Regardless, we still need a diversity of voices on the advisory committee that will push back against the gentrification of Chinatown, especially when the majority on the committee will likely be for it.
If you have the capacity to go to 6 meetings and feel that you have lived experience in Chinatown, please consider applying. Applications are due Aug 30.
If you want to file a complaint to the City of Vancouver about the composition of the new advisory committee, you can send them an email at Chinatown@vancouver.ca.
Chinatown Mahjong and Movie Night: The Chinese Mayor (Sept 7)
LET’S SHOW THE CITY HOW CHINATOWN BRINGS THE YEE LAU 熱鬧! 🔥
We’re back again at the Chinatown Memorial Plaza with another evening of mahjong and movie featuring the film The Chinese Mayor!
🗓️ WHEN: Saturday, September 7 2024, 4:00PM to 9:00PM
📍WHERE: Chinatown Memorial Plaza - 135-137 Keefer St