VCH workers decry East Hastings decampment, despite fearing employer blowback

While Vancouver Coastal Health maintains there was “not a significant” disruption to essential services during the city’s decampment of East Hastings Street in April, more than 40 front line employees say otherwise.

An open letter was signed by 44 nurses, community, outreach and social workers of the health authority, who provide harm reduction, addiction medication and urgent home support services to residents in the Downtown Eastside.

“Some days police have sectioned off parts of the community, creating barriers for people to access pharmacies, overdose prevention sites and other important services,” the document reads.

“Services that are accessible have been running beyond capacity as displaced peoples search for somewhere to go.”

VCH workers were not informed by the city about its plan to enforce the removal of 80 tents on the 0-to-400 block of Hastings Street, although their employer sent out a bulletin to warn staff of the possibility a week before the action.