Find transfer & transportation guides for Downtown Eastside, BC, Canada. Car driving, Public bus, Taxi, Plane, Railway, Boat & Ferry and more.
Neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Downtown Eastside (DTES) is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The area, one of the city's oldest, is the site of a complex set of social issues including extremely high levels of drug use, homelessness, poverty, crime, mental illness, and prostitution. It is also known for its strong community resilience and history of social activism. Around the beginning of the 20th century, the DTES was the political, cultural, and retail centre of the city. Over several decades, the city centre gradually shifted westwards and the DTES became a poor, although relatively stable, neighbourhood. In the 1980s, the area began a rapid decline due to several factors including an influx of hard drugs, the release of mentally ill individuals, policies that pushed prostitution and drug-related activity out of nearby areas, and the cessation of federal funding for social housing. By 1997, an epidemic of HIV infection and drug overdoses in the DTES led to the declaration of a public health emergency. As of 2018, critical issues include opioid overdoses, especially those involving the drug fentanyl; decrepit and squalid housing; a shortage of low-cost rental housing; and a high prevalence of severe mental illness, which often co-occurs with addiction. The population of the DTES is estimated to be around 7,000 people. Compared to the city as a whole, the DTES has a higher proportion of males and adults who live alone. It also has significantly more First Nation Canadians, who are disproportionately affected by the neighbourhood's social problems. The neighbourhood has a history of attracting individuals with mental health and addiction issues, many of whom being drawn to its drug market and low-barrier services. Law enforcement policies have been described as being among the most progressive in Canada; however, residents suffer Canada's highest rate of death from encounters with police, and many vulnerable members of the community have low trust in the police. Since the real estate boom began in the early 21st century, the area has been increasingly experiencing gentrification. Some see gentrification as a force for revitalization, while others believe it has led to higher displacement and homelessness. Numerous efforts have been made to improve the DTES at an estimated cost of over $1.4 billion as of 2009. Services in the greater DTES area are estimated to cost $360 million per year. Commentators from across the political spectrum have said that little progress has been made in resolving the issues of the neighbourhood as a whole, although there are individual success stories. Proposals for addressing the issues of the area include increasing investment in social housing, increasing capacity for treating people with addictions and mental illness, making services more distributed across the city and region instead of concentrated in the DTES, and improving co-ordination of services. However, little agreement exists between the municipal, provincial, and federal governments regarding long-term plans for the area. .... Learn more at Wikipedia
| Name | Downtown Eastside |
|---|---|
| Long Name | Downtown Eastside, BC, Canada |
| Region | British Columbia |
| Country | Canada |
| Map | Open Map |
You can find bus tickets from or to Downtown Eastside with our bus tickets search tool below
You can find taxi prices from or to Downtown Eastside with our taxi search tool below
You can find hotels and accommodations in Downtown Eastside with our hotels search tool below