Vancouver City Council Halts New Supportive Housing Developments

Vancouver's city council has decided to halt the development of new supportive housing projects. The proposal, introduced by Mayor Ken Sim, was approved with a 6-3 vote on Wednesday evening. The mayor expressed concerns that other cities in Metro Vancouver are not doing enough to support their homeless populations.

Mayor Sim pointed out that Vancouver provides 77 percent of the region's support services, including assisted living and shelters, despite the city representing only 25 percent of the region's population.

He stated that the halt on new supportive housing units will remain in place until other cities in the region have built their own supportive housing units. The city will now focus on renewing its existing affordable housing stock.