Dear Editor
I attended the Burnaby city council meeting on May 16, 2016. The presentation by Stop Demovictions Burnaby campaign in Metrotown was heard by Mayor Corrigan and city council. It stressed that many Burnaby citizens are suffering from being forced out of their homes and community because the City of Burnaby is allowing developers to demolish affordable rental apartment buildings and evict the tenants.
The group presented a report titled “A Community Under Attack” that highlights the experiences of many residents who have been unfairly pushed out to the edge of homelessness. Volunteers with the Stop Demovictions Burnaby campaign surveryed 60 people on the block northeast of Dunblane and Imperial in Burnaby. Mayor Corrigan’s response to the presentation was polite, but he showed a lack of leadership by not engaging the report’s primary recommendation to put a moratorium on any more demovictions. He was asked to stop demovictions and begin a community plan, and consult with people who are most affected by city-organized and developer-driven displacement. His response was to send the report to city staff.
I have been a Burnaby resident for over 30 years, and I am disgusted with Derek Corrigan’s lack of leadership on Monday night and council’s lack of engagement with the presenters. Instead of engaging in a conversation together, they simply put it off to staff for more research. We need action now so all the citizens of Burnaby will know that the mayor and city councillors care about them, not just the ones who are rich. It is noteworthy that of the 60 people surveyed for the report, not one indicated the City of Burnaby reached out with any kind of assistance.
We are in a demoviction crisis situation, and the City of Burnaby is ignoring it. The research is already done; it is time for action now. As a Burnaby citizen and voter, I feel that this administration is shirking its responsibilities to all Burnaby residents.
Earl Pollitt, Burnaby
