By Tan Mei Xi

With the pandemic taking a toll on the City of Vancouver's finances, hard decisions are being made about what is categorised as an essential service. Some service organisations in the Downtown Eastside are concerned that their needs may be overlooked in a year when needs are great and funds are scarce. The PULSE on CFRO talked to Councillor Lisa Dominato and asked for her views on specific budget issues relevant to the DTES.

When asked about the halving of a municipal capital grant allocated to the DTES, Dominato noted the importance of the fund to the neighbourhood. "It was really clear to me [the fund] was really significant to those organisations... and is something I can bring back to our staff as part of our deliberations the feedback that's coming from the community.

On the issue of homelessness, she noted that land is an asset the City can bring in crafting a solution. "One of the levers the City has... is that we have land and we can leverage that land to the benefit of housing. That is something we have been doing with modular housing."

Listen to our full conversation below with Councillor Lisa Dominato.