Vancouver City worker lifting an unhoused resident's tent with their belongings with a pitchfork into the back of a disposal truck. Photo courtesy of Meenakshi Mannoe.

Every day, Vancouver City staff, accompanied by Vancouver Police constables, collect the belongings of the unhoused people living in the area around Columbia and Main Streets.

During last month’s “Vancouver Homelessness Action Week,” people from PIVOT Legal Society, VANDU, and other civic groups spent time collecting stories from the people living on the street, as well as carefully observing the city workers and police officers. 

Those on the street are reportedly given only minutes to clear their belongings before a truck comes along to clear the street. Armed with pitchforks, the staff are ostensibly enforcing “bylaws around camping or vending on the sidewalk.” But the clearing is indiscriminate, and those on the street are losing items precious to them, as well as necessary for their survival. 

Meenakshi Mannoe works with PIVOT Legal Society and took part in the research during October’s Homelessness Action Week. She describes how people, “pointed out the absurdity of this program that’s administered by the city. The fact that they’re being told to pack up and leave, but they have nowhere to go. Many of them shared very, very devastating stories of personal belongings that had been taken. There was a woman who told me about Haida art that she had that had been taken and thrown away by a city worker.” 

Listen James Mainguy's interview with Meenakshi Mannoe below:

Image courtesy Pivot Legal Society