“Welcome to Vancouver Chinatown.” But when the colourful mural on E. Pender St. is covered by the 8-storey condo being built, will it be “Bye Bye Chinatown” instead?

A wave of development is flooding into Chinatown, threatening the future of the historic neighbourhood, which is recognized as the largest Chinatown in Canada and the second largest in North America next to San Francisco. As 789 new housing units come into the neighbourhood, Chinatown is losing its distinct character and its cultural assets. Its low-income housing is also at risk as land values and property taxes continue to rise as a result of the development fever.

Without clear binding policies to protect Chinatown, the neighbourhood will just become another Gastown and its history, heritage, and importance to the local community will be lost forever.

We are urging the public to #unite4chinatown in demanding Vancouver City Council to IMMEDIATELY PLACE A MORATORIUM ON ALL MARKET DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN CHINATOWN until there is comprehensive community consultation and clear policies to protect the future of Vancouver’s Chinatown.

As the first community formed by Chinese Canadians in Vancouver amidst a racist environment and many racist policies, including the Head Tax, Chinatown is of invaluable importance; its history must not be forgotten and Chinatown must be protected as a historic area. It must be carefully preserved and taken care of, not just seen as cheap land on which to make big profits or investments.

Chinatown continues to hold incalculable importance to the community that live, work, play, shop, and socialize in the neighbourhood, many of which are on low-incomes. However, the sense of belonging and community is being eroded by the current changes in the neighbourhood. The low-income serving retail and low-income housing in Chinatown are all at risk if this development fever continues, threatening to displace Chinatown residents, many of whom are seniors.

Chinatown must be protected. We need a moratorium on market developments until policies are put in place to accomplish that. Join us in fighting for Chinatown’s future. We must #unite4chinatown now!

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This petition is birthed from a series of several Town Hall meetings with Chinese-speaking Downtown Eastside/Chinatown residents, discussing the changes in Chinatown and its future. These meetings were organized by the Carnegie Community Action Project’s Chinatown Planning Group.

There is a paper petition being circulated in the Downtown Eastside, which includes two additional points that came out of the Town Hall meetings. These are among the policies that our group wants to see in place for the low-income community of Chinatown, following the moratorium.

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Resources / Links:

• Numbers: Chart on the Development Situation in Chinatown (as of Dec. 19, 2014)
• Link to the Paper Petition
• Background Information on the Petition (English | Traditional Chinese)
• Relevant Media Articles
• CCAP's Website on the #unite4chinatown Campaign