Call to Action: Reverse the Ban on Supportive Housing
People are waiting years on housing lists for a dignified, safe place to call home.
Sent on February 23, 2026 by Sacia Burton and Chantelle Spicer, BC Poverty Reduction Coalition
RE: Support for Councillor Bligh’s motion “Reversing the Costly Ban on Supportive Housing” for Council’s consideration on February 25, 2026.
In February 2025, this Council made its priorities evident by passing a motion to pause supportive housing projects in the city. A year later, it is clear that this pause has not led to improved well-being or material conditions for anyone in Vancouver. Rather, this ban has halted progress in a critical segment of the housing spectrum where development is urgently needed, and has intensified pressures on low-income renters and unhoused people to compete for an inadequate supply of appropriate housing options.
The pause on new social housing development has delayed the opportunity for thousands with complex needs to access the housing they deserve. The availability of non-market housing has not kept pace with demand anywhere in BC. While Vancouver is poised to offer world-class health care and a diverse array of social services, stability and well-being start with access to appropriate housing. People without access to the wrap-around supports they need are heavily reliant on emergency services, which strains our public systems’ capacity to respond effectively. Seniors, people with disabilities, people with complex health care needs, and survivors of gender-based violence are waiting years on housing lists for a dignified and safe place to call home. Increasing the supply of appropriate, affordable, and supportive housing must be a priority for local leaders, not something to ignore or delay.
Pitting investment in the adequacy of existing supportive housing against the possibility of new development is a false dichotomy. We need to see both current conditions improve and an increase in supply. We urge you to evaluate the harm done by last year’s decision and change course by supporting this motion.
