DTES Housing Implementation - Urban Indigenous Engagement

An Urban Indigenous engagement was held about DTES Housing Implementation on May 8, 2025 which marked a significant milestone as the Planning Department’s first dedicated engagement with Urban Indigenous communities. It was designed to ensure that Indigenous voices are not only heard, but meaningfully reflected in the City’s housing planning and decision-making processes.

Recognizing that many Indigenous people live in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) and that many other Indigenous Peoples have deep roots and long-standing connections to the area, the event was created to give Indigenous Peoples in Vancouver a culturally safe space to share their input and lived experience on the proposed changes to DTES housing policies. The goal was to listen carefully and involve Indigenous Peoples in a thoughtful and respectful way, as these changes would have a big impact on the future of the neighbourhood.

More information about the session is available in this Engagement Summary.