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> However, there is hope but we cannot rely on the government to sort it out. Indeed: "A change in public policy saw the mass discharge of Riverview Hospital'

> However, there is hope but we cannot rely on the government to sort it out. Indeed: "A change in public policy saw the mass discharge of Riverview Hospital's patients as an effort to integrate them into the community while the province considered the land for development. However, this caused a large influx of mentally ill into the DTES as poor follow-up support failed to reach a majority of these individuals." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside#Mental_Illness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside#Mental_Illnes...

gummify 13y ago
The government may have good intentions but are too short-term in thinking. Homelessness, particularly mentally disabled homeless persons are costing the government a lot more in the long run than putting in rehabilitation infrastructure for homeless people. I strongly believe that in markets like US/Canada, privately funded projects is the way to go in order to make any real change. It's also disturbing when the city takes the piss at homeless people by fining them http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/16/vancouver-homeless-fines-bylaw-city_n_2490008.html http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/16/vancouver-homeless-f...