Thanks for this vid ! I'm 8.5 years clean and sober. Survived Hastings. Living miracle and never looking back. I sold a lot of dope up and down these streets. These streets just about took my life. But here I am today !!! Business owner, dog, 2 cats and my health.
Mad love man thanks for showing the world a lost civilization. Looked over and always forgotten. Very moving to me and really think you did a amazing job ❤️🙌😊
Seeing this place as a foreigner was one of the most shocking experiences ever. I never expected such a place to exist in Vancouver and it totally changed my mind about Canada. There is clearly something wrong with the system and you can see it right there.
Yo estuve ahí el lunes 30 de mayo 2022, fuimos de vacaciones a Vancouver y el plan era visitar el barrio Chino y el tercero mas grande, nuestra expectativa era muy distinta, jamás imagine lo que era en realidad fue una de las experiencias mas impresionantes para mi y mas que iba con mis hijos y nunca sentí tanto miedo, llegamos en metro y empezamos a caminar y llegamos justo a esa esquina donde en el video se ven los policias, pero ahora lo que se ve ahi es mas impactante, gente en muy mal estado, heces fecales por todas partes, una sensación de inseguridad que jamas había sentido, alguien deberia advertir a los turistas que el barrio chino ya no es un lugar turístico, definitivamente te cambia la visión de Canada estar ahi 😔
Theres a bus line that spans the whole hastings street, and when you ride the whole way the scenery literally changes from luxuries downtown, homeless east hastings, normal ass burnaby and then up a mountain.
Yes , I filmed another walk where I head west from Hastings and Main and the area transitions from the poverty stricken neighborhood to the rich business areas. I'm still working on putting that one together, and will have it up when I can
You talking about that B-Line that gets on at Richards and Hastings and goes to SFU? The area past there has almost completely been gentrified now besides the open air market, then it transitions to middle class houses and Pho and bubble tea spots. Then when you get to the Burnaby mountain side, they got Safeways and bigger box stores, nice houses on the hills.
As someone who grew up in Chicago, this place actually looks pretty nice in comparison, definitely not what I was envisioning when people say the dark side of Vancouver. With that being said, I wish all these people the best, hopefully they can achieve happiness
I hope that they can too, but people that are here have to want to leave the situation. It can only start if they have a genuine desire to change their situation.
Yeah I don't live in Vancouver but I live across the water and a lot of the same problems exist but on a much smaller scale. You'll pretty much never find anything on the same scale as the states in Canada. The things Canada considers a "disaster zone" is nothing compared to a hood in America. Were very spoiled here
i used to walk that way to work until a woman chased me with a knife after I refused to buy a watermelon she was selling. started taking the bus after that.
A week ago I have seen someone taking drugs(with tin foil, some powder and lighter) after I leaved Vancouver downtown's Burger King. Just very close to Burger King.
I grew up in N Burnaby, when I was 12 I used to walk from Hastings and Boundary area all the way down to Granville, then up to Kingsway, then down Boundary.....holy shite!....but I can attest that while the DTES was always poor, it has gotten far worse....in the sixties I hung out around the Georgia Straight office a lot, got to know a particular back alley restaurant called the Green Door, I think the name on the door was Duck Lee Social Club....great inexpensive food, and no one spoke English...you had to point to the menu and tell them what number. It is quite sad how bad it has gotten....it seems the area never got over the 80's and the emptying of the Riverview patients onto the downtown streets with limited supports.
This makes me so sad. When I was a kid growing up in east van in the 70s we would go shopping in this area and I always thought it was so great. From Woolworths department store, the Army and Navy, maybe lunch at the Little Spot or Woodward’s, then up Granville to Eatons and the Bay and the butcher shop that was across the street. Terrible. So depressing. Open the mental health facilities, get going on low income housing, clean it up Vancouver. Shameful.
@@phoenixman8569 ....I was in a Social Work undergrad programmer at that time. I recall that there was discussion around how to downsize Riverview at the time and the government of the day was advised by a group from the UK not to close the facility, followed by a second consultation with the former advisor to Bill Clinton, who said to close them down...what could possibly go wrong...In fairness the plan had been to release those patients to group facilities, or private residences with a lot of supports, from registered nurses to psychiatric social workers....that was under an NDP government, and a lot of those promised supports did not materialize. ...a few years go by and the BC Liberals with Gordon Campbell and his Social Services Ministry henchman Murray Coell (Murray Cruel) formed government and they immediately stripped away almost all of the supports that were left and almost instantaneously there were homeless mentally ill people living on most downtown boulevards....which has become a game of :move along" for many years now.
Part of the reason for this problem is that they closed down a mental hospital, the one on the way to PoCo. And let them all on the streets to be preyed upon by dealers.
@@phoenixman8569 My Aunt worked there and had some crazy stories. She knew right away what shutting down that hospital was going to do to the DTES.This was decades ago, no one listened to the Dr's.
@@TheWolfsnack People working there tried to warn the government. I've driven through that place and they have a wonderful garden. I don't know why you would close such a thing and dump them on the streets to become addicts.
sometimes its like if you dont try to smell it you dont really notice but if you are constantly sniffing the air it will start to get to you ,maybe its like that there
I have lived in Vancouver for over 40 years and in the last ten years this has really spiraled out of control. They have closed up all the cheap hotels and housing for these poor people and not created any affordable housing. I have worked in Vancouver and I am now retired with a pension and some investments and can't afford to live here anymore! This is so sad!!
A lot of those cheap hotels were just nasty slum lord towers though. Single rooms with no working toilets in the floor. Sometimes shit literally in a bag hung out the fucking window. I take your point that there needed to be something to replace them but certainly not sad to see the vultures that owned those dumps lose out.
My grandmother , bless her sweet heart. She refused to give up on me. I crawled out of this sewer of misery and found sobriety. 25 years have gone by. I still remember where I came from and who got me here Rip grandma , love ya and I miss you everyday
I live in the US, and the East Hastings area of Vancouver seems like a section of any big city across the US. I live in Los Angeles, and this totally looks like the skid row area of downtown LA, except the East Hastings seems a bit cleaner.
I have never seen L.A.'s Skid Row first-hand (I live in Ireland, and the only U.S. city I have visited thus far is New York), but I thought it looked far worse than E. Hastings in videos here on YT. These were simply candid videos and what-not. Either way, it's terrible that so many people exist in this grim squalor, and that there's a stark disparity and physical proximity between such poverty and affluence. Whatever about destructive Liberal policies, some counterproductive legislation changes, higher cost-of-living, etc., I think a lot of this problem also stems from people coming from dysfunctional, unhappy families to start with...
4 года назад+6
LOL East Hastings cleaner. Never thought I would see those words combined.
Congratulations....I myself have been clean and sober since the early 90's.....and have done so without using AA/NA....other than a month in rehab....I went on and did it on my own without depending on a mythological hairy thunderer in the sky.
I lived for a year in Vancouver. I'm from Europe and I still don't understand why people living there took Hastings for granted. Hastings and also all the dirty screets that Vancouver has. When you search for Vancouver online, they never show Hastings. We don't have streets like this in Europe, this is not normal at all, and it should be solved by helping these people on the streets. When I was going to work, I used to see a lot of syringes on the floor
There are absolutely places like this in Europe and worse frankly. Places in Spain like Cañada Real Galiana. That's a place you cannot even believe is in a first world country. In Slovakia there's a place called Lunik IX, horrendous living conditions. Some places in Romania are similar. In Italy, just outside of Naples there are open air drug markets that look worse than this video. But I agree we should be helping all these people. We are letting these problems grow bigger by not dealing with it.
i agree with you,vpd doesn’t work and the government should take care of those people. vancouver is filling with hate crimes nowdays.😓 also expensive house rents due to chinese new comers lol
I work in the area and we now had to implement a buddy system for people who start work before 7 am as a few people in our building were assaulted or robbed at Abbott and Pender, so... Not as safe as it used to be.
I walked there by accident when I was new to Vancouver with 17 and i literally walked down the whole street and I found it so impressing but I was kinda scared. When I finish school I want to go back to Vancouver and volunteer a couple months on Hastings
Visited Vancouver 4 weeks ago from the UK and walked straight into this..absolutely shocked me but didn’t spoil my time there..beautiful city and will definitely return.
@@Wintrz98 It gets a lot of attention because it's the poorest area in the country and since April 2016 there has been a public health emergency declared due to the Fentanyl crisis.
Yes Vancouver is a good place. I like it a lot- but if course it has its share of problems. I walked through this area and nobody gave me a hard time at all. I'm not sure if you could say that in some other cities...
I have walked through these really sketchy parts at dark hours and taken the bus from there and no one ever bothers you and the homeless are usually really polite. I am from Europe so walking here is quite a surreal experience.
Excellent Relapse prevention tool for addicts in recovery that feel like they might go out and slip or wanna get high ! Am an East Vandal and an addict myself , Just not an active addict , Born n raised here in East Van n will be here till the end of days🤗 32months clean today n No desire to use Watching this just reinforces that for me 😜. Thanx 4 the Vid. Cheerz🥂
This was my life for years. The sad part is, there is still a tiny little part of me that yearns to run right back in. I don't know if that will ever fully fade.
@@lb7661 The heroin high is unlike any feeling you can possibly imagine if you haven't felt it. And seeing this place, triggers memories of what that feeling was like. Its such a powerful feeling that living like this, in these conditions, is perfectly okay as long as you get that feeling every day.
Hellblazer311 Hellblazer311 Heroin addiction is one of the worst circumstances to find yourself in. Chasing that high will often cost you your life and many people have turned away the opportunity for a clean and healthy life for that destructive high. I’m glad to hear that you were able to get off the streets but please don’t glorify opioids. I’ve lost many family members to this evil drug. Human life is worth more than a high. Be safe and be well.
Our leaders are failing us. This is just depressing. Shame on you Vancouver for letting this happen. And to all those suffering people, i hope they can find a light and get away from this.
I was homeless for 2.5 years. These streets break my heart. Ive seen this lifestule first hand. These people have a long road ahead of them. I wish them all the best luck
I was born and raised in Vancouver and believe it or not the Downtown Eastside used to be a really nice place. Tons of nice and interesting shops down Hastings and throughout the surrounding streets. All of it was sandwiched between the fashionable Gastown and Chinatown districts. There were drug users for sure but they did it behind closed doors and the winos were elderly veterans and loggers who were generally nice people. Asians, whites and aboriginals got on pretty well. Once the heroin dealers moved in during the early 80's the neighborhood just went to hell.
@@MyWalkAround Unfortunately the Downtown Eastside can't *ever* be the way it once was. The original residents of this neighborhood are being systematically shoved out by wealthy millennials who will turn it into another sterile enclave for the rich. The process of gentrification began 20 years ago and shows no signs of slowing. Its a terrible shame in many ways but seeing the area the way it is now, I'd say anything would be an improvement.
I T IS THE SAME HERE IN U.S.A. WHEN DRUG ADDICTION RISE AND THE INVIRONMENT HAS CHANGEAND THERE ARE LOT OF TRASHES BY THE SIDE WALK, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL CONSIDER TO PUT MORE TRASH CAN.THE HOMELESS AND DRUG ADDICTS NEEDSTO CONTRIBUTE TO PICK UP THE TRASH AND PUT IT IN THE TRASH CAN. NO OFFENSE I'M JUST SAYING.THE SENSE OF LOST HOPE BECAUSE THEY GIVE UP AND THEY TURN TO DRUGS JUST TO SCAPE RALITY. DON'T GET ME WRONG THERE ARE HOMELESS AND DRUG ADDICTS THEY EVENTUALLY GET OUT OF THE STREET BECAUSE THEY RECIEVE A HELP AND TREATMENT.
My friends and I all live there and it’s not as bad as you may think we are all mostly 13-14 and I have noticed that the people there are genuinely nicer to talk to
Moving to Here from Aus definitely had a shock factor. I didn’t know it existed until I saw it as nobody talks about it. Vancouver is so expensive and not many job opportunities. Definitely a city for the rich.
i can imagine! if you didn't know about it before, it would definitely be a shocker! unfortunately prices and costs in Vancouver are going to just keep rising :( thanks for watching
@@Danamcneill17 that’s nice are you living in Vancouver or Whistler ? How did you apply for a working holiday visa during covid are you 20 years old? Also what’s is the age limit . Is living in Vancouver actually fun compare to Australia I’m from New Zealand . Thanks
Australian originally as well and moved here in 2015. This side of town was a shock lol West end best end for the win ;) Once you settle in the Job market side of things becomes a little easier as its a "who you know" town.
I remember hearing about East Hastings and how bad it was. 6 years ago my wife and I drove up to Canada to get tattoos to try to save some money(USD was worth more than CAD at the time). We ended up at a shop on Hastings, didn’t realize where we were at until we started walking west from the shop to the nearest community center to find a bathroom, junkies and hookers everywhere! All the asian folks in the area walked around like they were so oblivious to their surroundings! Finally hit me and I realized I was on the “sketchy street” all my Canadian friends told me about.
The sad part is 35 years ago that was a vibrant and bustling area. Woodward was still a popular department store that was a hub to downtown. Chinatown was packed wall to wall with people as well
Tourists say that in India you find the contrast between the rich and the poor a bit shocking. I had been to this part of Vancouver as a visitor to the city. My feelings about the city are similar. The soup kitchens, the home-less people, the squatters. None the less, I like the city.Especially, the public transport. The marinas, the yachts, the boats etc.are fascinating to me.
Yes, I had to consider how people in the area might react. There have been assaults and incidents there in the past, and with all the needles/syringes in the area, I wanted to make sure to avoid any uncomfortable situations that might arise. Thanks for the comment wander!
I was in Vancouver only one week. I lived on the cross road Keefer Pl and Abbott St. One day I got lost and I found this street Hastings, I was so scared, it was my first time when I saw drug addicts. I was shocked that "normally" people can walk there with no problem. I hope that something will be change with this situation, because Gastwon is very unique. Any way I like Vancouver, I like Canada.Greetings from Poland!
The same happened to me It's incredible how civilized they are at some point. i never see something like this before i come from mexico and homeless people here use to be very dangerous.
My brother was living here for along time. I haven't see or herd from him in over 20 years. I don't know if he dead or alive.😢 his name is Roland couturier. I miss him very much. Sister Susie. Hugs!! I search these videos for him....
@@MyWalkAround Thanks 😍I did get good news from the police they have seen her recently and she is living at the London so now I just have to worry from today on word 😢
Call me crazy but every time I go to Vancouver I like to do the east hastings walk for fun, have some great chats with some street people evrytine, they are very friendly and will chat about anything to anyone walking by
Ive moved, April 19th, from Buffalo, New York ( Niagara Falls) - to S Surrey area, BC, Canada. I got married! While my home City, Buffalo, is much more dangerous- I was surprised to see this, when first I found it. My family took me annually throughout 1990's growing up, up into picturesque Ontario- and this formed a very particular image I held for what I assumed was all of Canada. Oddly, I was in the mix down here on the 19th, I enjoy this place and the different vibe. I am 5'7'' short, go alone and I engage many people there- never have I once felt nervous, or unsafe. I can not walk on foot in perhaps 55% of my former Cities streets- I would be accosted be it daylight or night time. Here, while unsavory- is a sense of community- albeit betwixt strife and foreboding. They Love it when I tell of my being from NY- and my brush with death (2015 I ended 10 years of opiate abuse).
Thanks for the comment and insight Battlements! I hope you're enjoying your new digs in BC and congrats on the marriage! Yes, I agree, when I was down there I wasn't afraid, but definitely checking reactions of people and my surroundings because I couldn't be sure how people would react to me filming. I was left alone to walk through the crowd and I only had one comment directed at me from what I remember and it was a bit peculiar but not threatening in nature. Once in a while you hear of things happening there, but for the most part I think it's the exception not the norm.
I live in BC and east hastings always hurts... it's just such a cruel world.. everyone deserves housing. I always think about the people when I come to Vancouver
This is where I’m from...E.Hastings...you should’ve seen this back in 2000 before the “big clean up”...living in the U.S. now nobody believes you even though it’s a google or RUclips search away. But let me tell you those late night walks back from Strathcona - enough to give me fever dreams to this day. All those rainy nights as a kid looking out the window of a 1 bdr apartment waiting for the days to shine...you never forget that feeling of perpetual paranoia and awe that comes with being surrounded by breathing dead people. Life lessons
Was it that much worse before 2000? I thought that the I introduction of the safe injection site that came in was when things really got rough down here ... People started coming here from all over
@@MyWalkAround it sucks that I never got a notification that you replied! I kind of worded my original comment funny, but what I meant was the early 2000’s or so. It’s highly possible it wasn’t as bad for others that grew up there around this time; organized crime paid the bills whether I liked it or not - I was just a kid, but that could’ve heightened it. In 1999, on Kingsway, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Accidentally interrupted a dealer and fiend in the middle of a drug deal since many lived in basement suites while the owners lived upstairs. Went to see my friend and had 0 clue that the “downstairs guy” was a seasoned criminal. Was chased for 3 blocks by the fiend with a knife in hand, which I assume was because if I told anyone, his operation would be shut down. I never ran so fast in my life - I was just 8 years old or so. I ran into the fiend 2 weeks later with my mom at a gas station and it was so weird. I stayed in the backseat watching through the windshield as my mom walked into the gas station at the same time as the addict. My mom stood frozen and turned around and mouthed “is that the one who did it?” and I nodded. Mother telepathy has to be real. She called the police, they made the arrests and that house did end up getting raided. Even went to court over the whole ordeal. Had to go to therapy for 6 months because I was having nightmares almost every night and couldn’t go outside without constantly looking over my shoulder in fear. I stopped telling Americans this story as a response to them not thinking anything happens in Canada outside of ice hockey, sledding, and consuming Canadian-centric pop culture. (nationalism is such an American thing that even their stereotypes are Americanized lol.) They would laugh, insert some variation of “what? I thought in Canada all you guys do is drink maple syrup”, and says that’s hilarious 🤷🏽♂️ not sure what’s funny about someone high on crack chasing an 8 year old with a knife, but maybe I’ll develop a sense of humor about it one day. That event however would set the tone for the first half of the 00’s where even worse events happened. Some publicized. Some not. The ones that weren’t were the worst. While many aren’t wrong for pointing out that inner cities in the U.S. are worse, they measure “worse” by gun violence. Whether it’s morally right or wrong isn’t up to me to judge, but at least some of them die for something -their gang is religion to them. But on Hastings, you watch suicides happening in slow motion daily. It guess it just hits me a little different to be surrounded by people who openly admit they’ve given up on life. That’s when I realized it’s possible to die inside a living body. Like many people in the comment section mentioned you don’t forget “the smell”. For me, you never forget “the feeling”.
It’s crazy how just a few blocks down from there, there are Gucci’s and pradas and all the upper class elite stores while all these people have to stay on the street surrounded by filth.....absolutely horrible.
It can happen to anyone. Homelessness is not a thing to judge. Than happen from a bad divorce, getting laid off from your job, natural disaster, house fire, or insufficient planning during immigration. Once on the street it can br hard to get off even if you are clean and sober. In the US, there are social programs and transitional living. Indont know how canada handles that. That's kinda why I'm doing pre-immigration "intel"
Born in Collingwood Ontario 1978, then moved to Vancouver in 2007. Then moved back to my home town Collingwood in 2019 and HOLY SHIT!. The drugs and homelessness is spiking high. I don’t drink or use drugs and so I tell you this, DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN OR GET MARRIED!. The world is going to shit and there is nothing we can do to fix it. ✌️Stay good out there
@@MyWalkAround The only shelter can only hold 8 people. It is very cold out and none of the churches are trying to help out in anyway. I am trying to find donations from the rich to create and fund a building that I can manage and keep human people off the streets. Summer people are sleeping in tents behind the Walmart. God save us all 🙏🏻
I worked in the DTES (stationed out of the Pender health clinic) around 15 years ago and it was rough then. Sad to see that it continues to get worse. Also really sad to see the demise of Chinatown. It was such a cool place to go for Dim Sum and check out the Mom & Pop stores.
@@MyWalkAround That was when health care resources were plentiful so although it could be challenging it was also enjoyable. I would not want to be doing that work now.
the best part is when some dude drops garbage on the garbage covered floor and everyone yells that he dropped something. Then he picks up what he dropped. I was on the edge of my seat!
thanks for showing the truth... I've watched a few videos where the presenter refused to show this part of town when discussing the pros and cons of moving to the city... we appreciate your honesty...
Thanks for watching. Some people in the comments seem upset that I went to the area and showed this. All I wanted to do was give people a snapshot of reality here, of what it's like for some of the people in this area of the city.
@@MyWalkAround The truth is all people want, positive and negative... If it weren't for youtube, it'd be hard to know, to realise the extent of the decay of the cities of the west coast.... My brother is a cop in Seattle I've seen the videos of LA, SF And Seattle it's astonishing... Like they've simply been given over... Again, thanks...
I've actually walked down east hastings and the one thing I'm gonna say about it they actually mind their own bussiness and you go along with you're day just respect them.
I remember talking to couple of people from east hastings over a period of time. You find a pattern that almost ALL of them suffer a some form of trauma from their past (child abuse, rape, violence, etc) and didn't how to deal with trauma and the pain... It breaks my heart to pieces everytime when I think about that place...
Keep enabling and they won't get fixed. FREE DRUGS don't solve the problem. They need to CLEAN UP THAT STREET they live there they need a garbage bag and takr responsibility!
Hey, are you using a gimbal to film as you walk, or do you have some kind of covert bag set up? I run a security company, training situational awareness, and covert movement in urban areas. Just interested as to what you are doing in areas like East Hastings as not many people seem to be taking much notice of you. Thanks for your time, I like the page.
Greetings George! Yes, unfortunately this does seem to be a trend in big cities like you said. But it seems especially prevalent on the west coast of Canada and the United States.
Father help me to help all my brothers and sisters around the world please and thank you. No one deserves that kind of life. Jesus have mercy on us all. Amen.😊💕💕❤.
i remember living on east hasting when i was around 7 or something. there was less homelessness, it less dangerous, you couldve saw my group of friends and i walking around ages like 7 to 16. east hastings is rough now. :(
Trust me, if you go there yourself it looks much worse. I was there recently and it was really disturbing. I did not feel safe, I was checking my surroundings every few seconds and was rushing to get out of that area
This starting happening in the early 1980 when cocain exploded in the east side. I stayed at a hotel down there in 1972 with my father. His friend owned the hotel back than it was normal. All types of great shops with neon signs. I remember eating at the ovaltine Cafe. We let the drugs consume us and now there's no way out! Breaks my heart to see Vancouver fall to such a deadly enemy.
I was quite happy when you turned around to have a look at the statues at Keefer & Columbia, for sure thought you were just going to glance at the Easy Park and continue on your way. Nice vid. I'm glad the guy with the heavy load over his shoulder got his shirt back too.
I'm from pakistan.and I only love two western countries,canada and new zealand.because of their kindness, good manners and politeness!!! but feel so sad to watch good Canadian people loosing their precious lives just to get high.😟☹️😒😭😭😭
We drove home to Ontario from BC, and made sure to go through Main St and Hastings after I saw it on a Drugs Inc episode. Wow. Sirens constantly, due to first responders heading to overdoses.
My buddy used to drive cab all over that area,he once had a lady run in front of his cab straight into a Hugh store window,really sad she was sliced up badly but still continued running and screaming as the blood was pouring out of her,rough area is putting it nicely.
Greetings, I am a RUclips channel that is doing a documentary on Asia vs America, would it be possible to use some of this footage and give you credit for it in my video? Kind Regards ALex
When I was 19 years old, I was living under the Georgia street bridge. I ended up on Welfare and got a place at the Cobalt. Mostly those people I talked to were pretty friendly. The people that didn't want to talk to you if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. Not as scary as people think it is. I wish I still knew the people I met on the streets to see how they are doing. Some of the older men there helped me onto Welfare and told me not to give up. I was so scared and messed up that I don't remember their faces or names.
They just lie about how perfect this place is. The truth is that there lots of ugliness, like anywhere else. There are lots more ugliness beyond this video, such as hate, racism, anger, greed, etc.
Believe it or not but some do. Give them a chance and they will prove it to you. Offer someone a place to stay then add but you must stay drug clean. Give them food then add but you have to clean up around you. Wear this shirt but you have to shave. See how many walk away. They do not want rules that govern them.
What camera did you use? Im asking because of the curious darken and light up of the movie during your walk through this aera. Did you do that or was your camera defective?
I'm surprised at how extensive the problems are on East Hastings! That's a lot of people struggling there. WHy is Chinatown to dead? It's right in the core of the city!
Chinatown isnt dead... opium dens and gambling still goes on. I worked in gas town not far from here and the downstairs of the place was all fitted out as a underground casino. It was a pretty shady place... I dont work there anymore.
I've since been told that Chinatown always shuts down and gets quiet early on weekends. I don't know if that's accurate or not - I don't understand why it would.
West Coast cities are so similar. If I didn’t see the video’s tittle/description I couldn’t tell the difference from Portland/Berkeley/Oakland/Seattle. The homeless/beggars seemed more aggressive in Vancouver during my short stay than the homeless in America. It’s like they have a hard time when you tell them no. Progressives everywhere are the same.
It's got nothing to do with political affiliations. It's mearly the geographical locations. All these west coast communities have one thing in common... Their proximity to the ocean and the influx of transportation from Asia and along with it comes the drugs. Wouldn't surprise me if gangs have a huge part to play in this as well. They prey on the most vulnerable because of how easy it is to obtain the drugs for dispersement.
Back in the late 60's and early 70's I drove for Suburban Taxi in East Vancouver. We had a cab stand in front of the Smiling Buddha at East Hastings and Main I can't believe how much the area has changed for the worst. There was never a presence of so many homeless people at this level. Carroll and Hastings had a presence but not all along the street. Tragic to see and more difficult to understand. Interesting to compare Hastings with Pender Street. Pender is clean and proper. I later worked at the Canadian Fishing Company at the Foot of Gore.
This is actually just a tip of the ice burg... the drug issue is spread all over the whole East Van, Surrey, etc. It's very unfortunate that the government allow this epidemic to spread. It also creates other crimes like robbery, BNE, prostitution, etc. HIV/AIDS are also problematic as well. That being said, I still don't think it's the drug addict's fault, because drugs are all over the place, it's not hard to find. The government needs to deal with this more comprehensively and aggressively, so that the number of crimes, HIV/AIDS infections, homeless will go down.
I agree with what you're saying Tony, as far as the government needs to deal with this, but I don't think it can be dealt with unless the goal is to get people off of drugs. If the goal is to just get them off the street, then they could just arrest them all for the drug use and possession. But I think we all would rather see these people get off the drugs and beat their addiction. That's where I think they need to really focus. Helping those who genuinely want to beat the addiction. I'd like To see the government come up with an aggressive way to assist those who are hell bent on getting off the drugs, and have the frame of mind that they are willing to do anything to get clean and sober. I don't know what they could do to be aggressive though, short of getting people to agree to be held in a facility against their will until the withdrawal effects are completely gone. I don't think there is a simple answer...
Can you please do this on a welfare Wednesday?! My first time going to Vancouver was last yr and I ended up staying at the WOMANS HOMELESS SHELTER on Hastings on a welfare Wednesday Night, and lemme tell you I never seen something like Hastings specially when they are all wired up and tweakers are running around, Climbing poles and home made fireworks are going off it's like a war zone out there!
sounds like a hoot! prob get layed with $10 worth a dope or what.... lol ( i never go to any city.... just fine out in the stix with all the alcoholism smh
If you take the bus from Georgia and Granville to Chinatown at night rough patch to go through. It starts getting really rough after 6pm. We come to Vancouver from San Francisco once a year and shop at the Army Navy store in this neighborhood feels kind of like some parts of San Francisco too.
This is a " dull roar " of what it usually is. Go back there on the Saturday night after welfare Wednesday to Main and Hastings and look at the scene then. Methheads are nocturnal, most of them were asleep when you filmed this.
perfect video! very well done my friend. I was planning to study at Vancouver Film School. and as I saw in your video you just walked around it is the neighborhood safe around there? and one more question is it safe around the street that poor or homeless people are located? I mean are they chill? or are they aggressive kind of homeless people?
Generally they are chill I think. You do hear about stuff happening sometimes, but that can happen anywhere. If you want to go to Vancouver film school, I would go. Don't let the general area surrounding it deter you. I also believe that Vancouver Police have officers specifically assigned to patrol the east Hastings area. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
morteza karimzadeh also the problems aren’t as bad up at the film school! the sidewalk wasn’t filled yesterday so it might be some days but they get kicked off eventually. i only saw a few in that part
I’m so thankful that our small island has few homeless people and my brother who lives there in Vancouver has his own house to stay thank God please bless these people to have safe and comfortable place to stay
Yes it's not something that you'd expect in Vancouver. But when Vancouver opened up the very first safe injection site in Canada, people that were drug users starting moving to the area from all over.
This is what drugs do.....drastic degradation of the normal life....the soul trapped in a prison in an addicted physical body..... I admire anyone who can get out
Helena VonDrakenstein "This is what drugs do.....drastic degradation of the normal life....the soul trapped in a prison in an addicted physical body." The two most common highly addictive drugs that most of these folks have in common are coffee and cigarettes.
I think it's more correct to say that people use drugs to escape trauma. Society needs to stop the abuse and trauma of its citizens, and the citizens won't turn to meth and fentanyl. Getting rid of the drugs is only one side of the problem.
I almost became a statistic until the universe though Jesus saved me when I chose to believe in him. I was living in a hotel looking out the 7th floor window ready to jump to end all my pain. All my pain brought on from my bad decision, physical & social disabilities. I found a book, actually given, read it & believe in it. Now 15 years later I am where I always wished I could be. Thanks Universe & Jesus, you saved me. Such a beautiful place though. I hope they can all find the help they need so the city & people can flourish with all the potential they deserve
Congratulations on becoming sober, much respect. I urge you to please try reading the Quran. The translation of it, as well as take a look to see all the scientific miracles that are presented in the Quran, written 1400 years ago. I hope you find it in your heart to take a look at what I'm suggesting. Thank you and God bless
We used to spend every Sunday shopping in China town with bbq pork wonton lunch noodles at Hons. Veggies at Sunrise, then a walk home with all of our goods. There always were a lot of crazy characters but that was part of the charm and I never felt scared in the DTES.....I cant imagine the pain and suffering happening now. Its heartbreaking to watch
Yes things have slowly spiraled out of control. I haven't been in the DTES since the pandemic hit, so I'm not sure what it's looking like right now...at some point I'll go back
My grandparents used to live in a building complex around these streets and we would visit them from time to time here. Always made sure I walked in the morning/afternoon and was aware of my surroundings. It was pretty shocking when I first arrived & especially considering Gastown was like a few blocks away
Thanks for this vid ! I'm 8.5 years clean and sober. Survived Hastings. Living miracle and never looking back. I sold a lot of dope up and down these streets. These streets just about took my life. But here I am today !!! Business owner, dog, 2 cats and my health.
👍👍👍👍👍👍 Awesome man!!!!! Glad to hear !!!!
Mad love man thanks for showing the world a lost civilization. Looked over and always forgotten. Very moving to me and really think you did a amazing job ❤️🙌😊
That's awesome! God bless xx
Much love 💗
Very good 👍. Very happy to know that. Keep it up. God bless.
I recognize so many of these people From when I used to be homeless.., good to see they are still alive.
Rootless, good to hear that you're doing good and in a better place. I really hope others in the area can get out of this situation...
@David Jacobson I think that could go for all of us David. There are some things I wont talk about to this day. Shames me too much.
@David Jacobson Get what out? It's been years since I have had anything to do with that shitty life. Working tax paying family man now.
@David Jacobson it better to not dwell on the past
My brother has been missing down there 2 years almost. Unheard of for him. VPD says they had contact. Wish I could fly down to find him.
Seeing this place as a foreigner was one of the most shocking experiences ever. I never expected such a place to exist in Vancouver and it totally changed my mind about Canada.
There is clearly something wrong with the system and you can see it right there.
Yes, I could understand that. I used to live in Vancouver so when I come back to visit it's not a big shock but some days are really bad...
Yo estuve ahí el lunes 30 de mayo 2022, fuimos de vacaciones a Vancouver y el plan era visitar el barrio Chino y el tercero mas grande, nuestra expectativa era muy distinta, jamás imagine lo que era en realidad fue una de las experiencias mas impresionantes para mi y mas que iba con mis hijos y nunca sentí tanto miedo, llegamos en metro y empezamos a caminar y llegamos justo a esa esquina donde en el video se ven los policias, pero ahora lo que se ve ahi es mas impactante, gente en muy mal estado, heces fecales por todas partes, una sensación de inseguridad que jamas había sentido, alguien deberia advertir a los turistas que el barrio chino ya no es un lugar turístico, definitivamente te cambia la visión de Canada estar ahi 😔
This is what happens when you stop throwing the crazies in the looney bin
@@victorial1010 it was different 25 years ago the drug problem got worse.
This few block changed your mind about all of Canada? You should see it now, it will change your mind about the plant lol
Theres a bus line that spans the whole hastings street, and when you ride the whole way the scenery literally changes from luxuries downtown, homeless east hastings, normal ass burnaby and then up a mountain.
Yes , I filmed another walk where I head west from Hastings and Main and the area transitions from the poverty stricken neighborhood to the rich business areas. I'm still working on putting that one together, and will have it up when I can
Kevin Shi I live in normal ass Burnaby!
I lived up the mountain lmao
You talking about that B-Line that gets on at Richards and Hastings and goes to SFU? The area past there has almost completely been gentrified now besides the open air market, then it transitions to middle class houses and Pho and bubble tea spots. Then when you get to the Burnaby mountain side, they got Safeways and bigger box stores, nice houses on the hills.
Too much *littering* !😟
As someone who grew up in Chicago, this place actually looks pretty nice in comparison, definitely not what I was envisioning when people say the dark side of Vancouver. With that being said, I wish all these people the best, hopefully they can achieve happiness
I hope that they can too, but people that are here have to want to leave the situation. It can only start if they have a genuine desire to change their situation.
Yeah I don't live in Vancouver but I live across the water and a lot of the same problems exist but on a much smaller scale. You'll pretty much never find anything on the same scale as the states in Canada. The things Canada considers a "disaster zone" is nothing compared to a hood in America. Were very spoiled here
i used to walk that way to work until a woman chased me with a knife after I refused to buy a watermelon she was selling. started taking the bus after that.
A week ago I have seen someone taking drugs(with tin foil, some powder and lighter) after I leaved Vancouver downtown's Burger King. Just very close to Burger King.
Home made story.. 🤣
Lol
I died laughing ..lol
do you blame her??? Who in their right mind refuses a watermelon??
I‘m in Vancouver, I know everyday this street looks like what the author recorded.
Thanks for watching Yaorong!
I grew up in N Burnaby, when I was 12 I used to walk from Hastings and Boundary area all the way down to Granville, then up to Kingsway, then down Boundary.....holy shite!....but I can attest that while the DTES was always poor, it has gotten far worse....in the sixties I hung out around the Georgia Straight office a lot, got to know a particular back alley restaurant called the Green Door, I think the name on the door was Duck Lee Social Club....great inexpensive food, and no one spoke English...you had to point to the menu and tell them what number. It is quite sad how bad it has gotten....it seems the area never got over the 80's and the emptying of the Riverview patients onto the downtown streets with limited supports.
@@TheWolfsnack I remember getting food at the green door. Must've been in the 70's.
Thanks I thought it was CGI.
@@frogsmoker714 its been 25 years away then got back last August and the green door was gone but boy what a ground zero its become
This makes me so sad. When I was a kid growing up in east van in the 70s we would go shopping in this area and I always thought it was so great. From Woolworths department store, the Army and Navy, maybe lunch at the Little Spot or Woodward’s, then up Granville to Eatons and the Bay and the butcher shop that was across the street. Terrible. So depressing. Open the mental health facilities, get going on low income housing, clean it up Vancouver. Shameful.
Some doctors in Vancouver are now thinking that it was not a good idea to close down Riverview hospital!!!!!
@@phoenixman8569 ....I was in a Social Work undergrad programmer at that time. I recall that there was discussion around how to downsize Riverview at the time and the government of the day was advised by a group from the UK not to close the facility, followed by a second consultation with the former advisor to Bill Clinton, who said to close them down...what could possibly go wrong...In fairness the plan had been to release those patients to group facilities, or private residences with a lot of supports, from registered nurses to psychiatric social workers....that was under an NDP government, and a lot of those promised supports did not materialize. ...a few years go by and the BC Liberals with Gordon Campbell and his Social Services Ministry henchman Murray Coell (Murray Cruel) formed government and they immediately stripped away almost all of the supports that were left and almost instantaneously there were homeless mentally ill people living on most downtown boulevards....which has become a game of :move along" for many years now.
Part of the reason for this problem is that they closed down a mental hospital, the one on the way to PoCo. And let them all on the streets to be preyed upon by dealers.
@@phoenixman8569 My Aunt worked there and had some crazy stories. She knew right away what shutting down that hospital was going to do to the DTES.This was decades ago, no one listened to the Dr's.
@@TheWolfsnack People working there tried to warn the government. I've driven through that place and they have a wonderful garden. I don't know why you would close such a thing and dump them on the streets to become addicts.
I can promise no video will ever describe the smell he's smelling right now
U
17:24
Heroin and shit lol
sometimes its like if you dont try to smell it you dont really notice but if you are constantly sniffing the air it will start to get to you ,maybe its like that there
Yup.
I have lived in Vancouver for over 40 years and in the last ten years this has really spiraled out of control. They have closed up all the cheap hotels and housing for these poor people and not created any affordable housing. I have worked in Vancouver and I am now retired with a pension and some investments and can't afford to live here anymore! This is so sad!!
At least you have a pension boomer.
A lot of those cheap hotels were just nasty slum lord towers though. Single rooms with no working toilets in the floor. Sometimes shit literally in a bag hung out the fucking window. I take your point that there needed to be something to replace them but certainly not sad to see the vultures that owned those dumps lose out.
Absolutely to the point.
If the govt doesn’t kick the homeless out of the street and into a specialized refuge, then the problem will keep growing.
Police are too busy with 12 year old native girl and grandfathers, getting praise from P.C. than trying to fix this problem.
My grandmother , bless her sweet heart. She refused to give up on me.
I crawled out of this sewer of misery and found sobriety.
25 years have gone by.
I still remember where I came from and who got me here
Rip grandma , love ya and I miss you everyday
Very glad to hear that! Your grandmother sounds awesome.
Thank you , I hope that all those people find peace
@@imannonymous7707 agreed
I live in the US, and the East Hastings area of Vancouver seems like a section of any big city across the US. I live in Los Angeles, and this totally looks like the skid row area of downtown LA, except the East Hastings seems a bit cleaner.
It is
True
I have never seen L.A.'s Skid Row first-hand (I live in Ireland, and the only U.S. city I have visited thus far is New York), but I thought it looked far worse than E. Hastings in videos here on YT. These were simply candid videos and what-not.
Either way, it's terrible that so many people exist in this grim squalor, and that there's a stark disparity and physical proximity between such poverty and affluence. Whatever about destructive Liberal policies, some counterproductive legislation changes, higher cost-of-living, etc., I think a lot of this problem also stems from people coming from dysfunctional, unhappy families to start with...
LOL East Hastings cleaner. Never thought I would see those words combined.
I agree. Especially since they're building up DTLA. I feel like the homeless population is being squeezed in on itself.
17th year clean and sober. Found Christ through NA.
I'm so happy for you!! Praise his Holy name!
30 years clean and sober
Praise God my friend.
Never fall on drugs thanks to heavy metal, i understand how others finds other way to fell their souls and heart
Congratulations....I myself have been clean and sober since the early 90's.....and have done so without using AA/NA....other than a month in rehab....I went on and did it on my own without depending on a mythological hairy thunderer in the sky.
I lived for a year in Vancouver. I'm from Europe and I still don't understand why people living there took Hastings for granted. Hastings and also all the dirty screets that Vancouver has. When you search for Vancouver online, they never show Hastings. We don't have streets like this in Europe, this is not normal at all, and it should be solved by helping these people on the streets. When I was going to work, I used to see a lot of syringes on the floor
Unfortunately its slowly starting to spread out to other areas downtown :(
There are absolutely places like this in Europe and worse frankly. Places in Spain like Cañada Real Galiana. That's a place you cannot even believe is in a first world country. In Slovakia there's a place called Lunik IX, horrendous living conditions. Some places in Romania are similar. In Italy, just outside of Naples there are open air drug markets that look worse than this video. But I agree we should be helping all these people. We are letting these problems grow bigger by not dealing with it.
i agree with you,vpd doesn’t work and the government should take care of those people. vancouver is filling with hate crimes nowdays.😓 also expensive house rents due to chinese new comers lol
@@クロミ-c4l the government “taking care of these people” is what has caused these problems. It’s about tackling drug addiction and making it illegal
europe keeps it well hid do they?
It's not dangerous, just depressing and uncomfortable
I work in the area and we now had to implement a buddy system for people who start work before 7 am as a few people in our building were assaulted or robbed at Abbott and Pender, so... Not as safe as it used to be.
I would say compared to other cities it's not that dangerous compared to rough areas in other cities
I live on Gore.... Not exactly what I'd call dangerous or rough...
I've never been hurt in this neighborhood however, I would say it is dangerous.
@@vancouversworstdrivers keep telling yourself that...
I walked there by accident when I was new to Vancouver with 17 and i literally walked down the whole street and I found it so impressing but I was kinda scared. When I finish school I want to go back to Vancouver and volunteer a couple months on Hastings
That would be very nice of you Anna! Good stuff!
You can buy a house next to this Street for $800k-$990k if you like
@@orangeicecubes in 2017 I think $1.5 mil was the number lol
Ya rite 1.5 mil atarting
The term “house” is debatable
@Jerry Li for 800k u can get better house down to Texas or Arizona
LMAO
Visited Vancouver 4 weeks ago from the UK and walked straight into this..absolutely shocked me but didn’t spoil my time there..beautiful city and will definitely return.
Glad you enjoyed the trip cramthe man! Yes Vancouver is great! Thanks for watching
Thank you. Most people don't truly understand this community or its positive aspects
You missed the point of the vid
The devastation of these people is the point
Every major city has places like this.
@@Wintrz98 It gets a lot of attention because it's the poorest area in the country and since April 2016 there has been a public health emergency declared due to the Fentanyl crisis.
One of the richest cities in the world full of misery 😩😩
Definitely not one of the richest cities.
It has some of the richest visitors maybe.
But be damned sure nobody in this town sees a penny of it
It’s one of the most expensive places to live. A lot of misery all over the world.
Bruh Holmes Out city is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so i would say yes we do see “a penny”
@@Wintrz98yeah, & tell me, how do you plan on spending that penny?
Oh wait.
We cant even afford pennies anymore.
This is what impossibly high rent does
Notice the speed limit of 30 kph or 20 mph. You are in the Zombie Zone. Too many people were walking into traffic, so they slowed it down.
What? Is that really why the limit is set to that?!?!
It's a mine field driving through here, foot constantly over the brake.
@@MyWalkAround Yes..
You have described this accurately.
Yup.
Its completely different when its dark and rush hour. That is when the action is.
I came here for half year and I found that everyone in vancouver is friendly even homeless.when I stay in la, I can’t hang out at night.
Yes Vancouver is a good place. I like it a lot- but if course it has its share of problems. I walked through this area and nobody gave me a hard time at all. I'm not sure if you could say that in some other cities...
@@MyWalkAround You got Lucky. Never heard of being Lucky.
I have walked through these really sketchy parts at dark hours and taken the bus from there and no one ever bothers you and the homeless are usually really polite. I am from Europe so walking here is quite a surreal experience.
Excellent Relapse prevention tool for addicts in recovery that feel like they might go out and slip or wanna get high ! Am an East Vandal and an addict myself , Just not an active addict , Born n raised here in East Van n will be here till the end of days🤗 32months clean today n No desire to use Watching this just reinforces that for me 😜. Thanx 4 the Vid. Cheerz🥂
This was my life for years. The sad part is, there is still a tiny little part of me that yearns to run right back in. I don't know if that will ever fully fade.
I'm glad you managed to get out. I'm hoping others in this video will succeed as you did! Don't give in to the temptation man. Stay strong!
@@lb7661 The heroin high is unlike any feeling you can possibly imagine if you haven't felt it. And seeing this place, triggers memories of what that feeling was like. Its such a powerful feeling that living like this, in these conditions, is perfectly okay as long as you get that feeling every day.
Hellblazer311 Hellblazer311 Heroin addiction is one of the worst circumstances to find yourself in. Chasing that high will often cost you your life and many people have turned away the opportunity for a clean and healthy life for that destructive high. I’m glad to hear that you were able to get off the streets but please don’t glorify opioids. I’ve lost many family members to this evil drug. Human life is worth more than a high. Be safe and be well.
I know exactly what u mean. My hubby says I shouldn't watch too much of this type of shit@
@@Hellblazer311 nah,there is better things ,life is beautiful,having a kid ,faith ,love ,it's all so much more powerful than any drug induced high
I'm watching this to see if I can find a good find of mine who left Winnipeg and hasn't came back in four years.
dianawhite1 awe. I hope you find them someday soon and that they're safe
Bro I met some guy on the train that said he was from Winnipeg and he seemed homeless too
I'm sorry to hear dianawhite1, I hope you find him some day.
Winnipeg is a shithole, no wonder he wouldn't go back!
Hope you find them and all is well brother 👍
Our leaders are failing us. This is just depressing. Shame on you Vancouver for letting this happen. And to all those suffering people, i hope they can find a light and get away from this.
I was homeless for 2.5 years. These streets break my heart. Ive seen this lifestule first hand. These people have a long road ahead of them. I wish them all the best luck
I was born and raised in Vancouver and believe it or not the Downtown Eastside used to be a really nice place. Tons of nice and interesting shops down Hastings and throughout the surrounding streets. All of it was sandwiched between the fashionable Gastown and Chinatown districts. There were drug users for sure but they did it behind closed doors and the winos were elderly veterans and loggers who were generally nice people. Asians, whites and aboriginals got on pretty well. Once the heroin dealers moved in during the early 80's the neighborhood just went to hell.
Yeah it's too bad, things really need to change. But the question is how?
@@MyWalkAround Unfortunately the Downtown Eastside can't *ever* be the way it once was. The original residents of this neighborhood are being systematically shoved out by wealthy millennials who will turn it into another sterile enclave for the rich. The process of gentrification began 20 years ago and shows no signs of slowing. Its a terrible shame in many ways but seeing the area the way it is now, I'd say anything would be an improvement.
I T IS THE SAME HERE IN U.S.A.
WHEN DRUG ADDICTION RISE AND THE INVIRONMENT HAS
CHANGEAND THERE ARE LOT OF TRASHES BY THE SIDE WALK, HOPEFULLY
THEY WILL CONSIDER TO PUT MORE TRASH CAN.THE HOMELESS AND DRUG ADDICTS
NEEDSTO CONTRIBUTE TO PICK UP THE TRASH AND PUT IT IN THE TRASH CAN. NO OFFENSE I'M JUST SAYING.THE SENSE OF LOST HOPE BECAUSE THEY GIVE UP AND THEY
TURN TO DRUGS JUST TO SCAPE RALITY. DON'T GET ME WRONG THERE ARE HOMELESS AND DRUG ADDICTS THEY EVENTUALLY GET OUT OF THE STREET BECAUSE THEY RECIEVE A
HELP AND TREATMENT.
My friends and I all live there and it’s not as bad as you may think we are all mostly 13-14 and I have noticed that the people there are genuinely nicer to talk to
Moving to Here from Aus definitely had a shock factor. I didn’t know it existed until I saw it as nobody talks about it. Vancouver is so expensive and not many job opportunities. Definitely a city for the rich.
i can imagine! if you didn't know about it before, it would definitely be a shocker! unfortunately prices and costs in Vancouver are going to just keep rising :( thanks for watching
Are you on a working holiday visa ?
@@BreakingJJC yes
@@Danamcneill17 that’s nice are you living in Vancouver or Whistler ? How did you apply for a working holiday visa during covid are you 20 years old? Also what’s is the age limit . Is living in Vancouver actually fun compare to Australia I’m from New Zealand .
Thanks
Australian originally as well and moved here in 2015. This side of town was a shock lol
West end best end for the win ;)
Once you settle in the Job market side of things becomes a little easier as its a "who you know" town.
I remember hearing about East Hastings and how bad it was. 6 years ago my wife and I drove up to Canada to get tattoos to try to save some money(USD was worth more than CAD at the time). We ended up at a shop on Hastings, didn’t realize where we were at until we started walking west from the shop to the nearest community center to find a bathroom, junkies and hookers everywhere! All the asian folks in the area walked around like they were so oblivious to their surroundings! Finally hit me and I realized I was on the “sketchy street” all my Canadian friends told me about.
Yes you can wander into it so quickly without realizing it- especially since it's like 1-2 small city blocks from Gastown, an major tourist area
The sad part is 35 years ago that was a vibrant and bustling area. Woodward was still a popular department store that was a hub to downtown. Chinatown was packed wall to wall with people as well
Wow, Woodward's! That's from a long lost time!
Tourists say that in India you find the contrast between the rich and the poor a bit shocking.
I had been to this part of Vancouver as a visitor to the city. My feelings about the city are similar. The soup kitchens, the home-less people, the squatters. None the less, I like the city.Especially, the public transport. The marinas, the yachts, the boats etc.are fascinating to me.
Yes this area is rough to see, especially when you consider the amount of money there is in the city. But I agree Vancouver is an amazing place!
man alive. i used to go there in '86 when i moved to n. van and it was so cool and funky then with lots of great shops , its a shame whats happened!
Expo '86! I was 4 years old and remember Expo Ernie the robot
That’s sad to see so many people, most likely with drug addictions! God help down here in Jesus name
Thanks for watching Jeffery!
Amen
We can help by spreading this glorious news and intercession.
This is a very shocking image of Vancouver. I'm sure it took courage to shoot, too. I applaud you.👏👏👏
Yes, I had to consider how people in the area might react. There have been assaults and incidents there in the past, and with all the needles/syringes in the area, I wanted to make sure to avoid any uncomfortable situations that might arise. Thanks for the comment wander!
fk this is good conpared to granville street
@@glen6945 Argeed Granville street on a friday Saturday night is far worse and more dangerous then e hastings
@@MyWalkAround you're a pussy if you're afraid of E Hastings.
For the most part the local people down there are harmless
I was in Vancouver only one week. I lived on the cross road Keefer Pl and Abbott St. One day I got lost and I found this street Hastings, I was so scared, it was my first time when I saw drug addicts. I was shocked that "normally" people can walk there with no problem. I hope that something will be change with this situation, because Gastwon is very unique. Any way I like Vancouver, I like Canada.Greetings from Poland!
Karolina just chill
The same happened to me It's incredible how civilized they are at some point. i never see something like this before i come from mexico and homeless people here use to be very dangerous.
My brother was living here for along time. I haven't see or herd from him in over 20 years. I don't know if he dead or alive.😢 his name is Roland couturier. I miss him very much. Sister Susie. Hugs!! I search these videos for him....
OMFG I am doing the same thing! My 22 year old daughter is lost in her addiction on skid row in Vancouver and I haven't heard from her in month's 😥😭😢
I'm sorry hear Baby Taz. I hope you find him.
I'm sorry to hear that Melissa. I hope you are eventually reunited with you daughter...
@@MyWalkAround Thanks 😍I did get good news from the police they have seen her recently and she is living at the London so now I just have to worry from today on word 😢
@@crazycanecorsolady :) That's good news!
You can almost feel the depression vibes right from your screen
Call me crazy but every time I go to Vancouver I like to do the east hastings walk for fun, have some great chats with some street people evrytine, they are very friendly and will chat about anything to anyone walking by
Yeah man! There are lots of friendly people. You can be inspired there.
wow me too! I remember some pretty cool people and yeah they chat about everything and it’s very intriguing
When i went there 2 days ago it was even worse, saw so many heroin users. so sad. seeing them coming down from their high
No more heroin, its all fentanyl now
"heroin"
Ive moved, April 19th, from Buffalo, New York ( Niagara Falls) - to S Surrey area, BC, Canada. I got married! While my home City, Buffalo, is much more dangerous- I was surprised to see this, when first I found it. My family took me annually throughout 1990's growing up, up into picturesque Ontario- and this formed a very particular image I held for what I assumed was all of Canada. Oddly, I was in the mix down here on the 19th, I enjoy this place and the different vibe. I am 5'7'' short, go alone and I engage many people there- never have I once felt nervous, or unsafe. I can not walk on foot in perhaps 55% of my former Cities streets- I would be accosted be it daylight or night time. Here, while unsavory- is a sense of community- albeit betwixt strife and foreboding. They Love it when I tell of my being from NY- and my brush with death (2015 I ended 10 years of opiate abuse).
Thanks for the comment and insight Battlements! I hope you're enjoying your new digs in BC and congrats on the marriage!
Yes, I agree, when I was down there I wasn't afraid, but definitely checking reactions of people and my surroundings because I couldn't be sure how people would react to me filming. I was left alone to walk through the crowd and I only had one comment directed at me from what I remember and it was a bit peculiar but not threatening in nature.
Once in a while you hear of things happening there, but for the most part I think it's the exception not the norm.
this is nice compared to the yellers on granville street
I must walk past them too early, they are still asleep in their Tents.
Yeah , welfare day is only once a month .. we get quiet weekends down here mostly
Very true .. Granville is nuts !
@@thetrollveller5626 Wefare Wednesday! Yeah lovely the day after.
@@thetrollveller5626 Mardi gras!
I can smell urine just watching this video
It's not the vid it's your litter box
V S its right between your pants !
It's coming from your upper lip.
part urine, part cocaine smell
@VS ... yes the smell is disgusting.
I live in BC and east hastings always hurts... it's just such a cruel world.. everyone deserves housing. I always think about the people when I come to Vancouver
Im from LA! They do this to themselves. Everyone has a choice
This is where I’m from...E.Hastings...you should’ve seen this back in 2000 before the “big clean up”...living in the U.S. now nobody believes you even though it’s a google or RUclips search away. But let me tell you those late night walks back from Strathcona - enough to give me fever dreams to this day. All those rainy nights as a kid looking out the window of a 1 bdr apartment waiting for the days to shine...you never forget that feeling of perpetual paranoia and awe that comes with being surrounded by breathing dead people. Life lessons
Was it that much worse before 2000? I thought that the I introduction of the safe injection site that came in was when things really got rough down here ... People started coming here from all over
@@MyWalkAround it sucks that I never got a notification that you replied! I kind of worded my original comment funny, but what I meant was the early 2000’s or so. It’s highly possible it wasn’t as bad for others that grew up there around this time; organized crime paid the bills whether I liked it or not - I was just a kid, but that could’ve heightened it. In 1999, on Kingsway, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Accidentally interrupted a dealer and fiend in the middle of a drug deal since many lived in basement suites while the owners lived upstairs. Went to see my friend and had 0 clue that the “downstairs guy” was a seasoned criminal. Was chased for 3 blocks by the fiend with a knife in hand, which I assume was because if I told anyone, his operation would be shut down. I never ran so fast in my life - I was just 8 years old or so. I ran into the fiend 2 weeks later with my mom at a gas station and it was so weird. I stayed in the backseat watching through the windshield as my mom walked into the gas station at the same time as the addict. My mom stood frozen and turned around and mouthed “is that the one who did it?” and I nodded. Mother telepathy has to be real. She called the police, they made the arrests and that house did end up getting raided. Even went to court over the whole ordeal. Had to go to therapy for 6 months because I was having nightmares almost every night and couldn’t go outside without constantly looking over my shoulder in fear.
I stopped telling Americans this story as a response to them not thinking anything happens in Canada outside of ice hockey, sledding, and consuming Canadian-centric pop culture. (nationalism is such an American thing that even their stereotypes are Americanized lol.) They would laugh, insert some variation of “what? I thought in Canada all you guys do is drink maple syrup”, and says that’s hilarious 🤷🏽♂️ not sure what’s funny about someone high on crack chasing an 8 year old with a knife, but maybe I’ll develop a sense of humor about it one day.
That event however would set the tone for the first half of the 00’s where even worse events happened. Some publicized. Some not. The ones that weren’t were the worst. While many aren’t wrong for pointing out that inner cities in the U.S. are worse, they measure “worse” by gun violence. Whether it’s morally right or wrong isn’t up to me to judge, but at least some of them die for something -their gang is religion to them. But on Hastings, you watch suicides happening in slow motion daily. It guess it just hits me a little different to be surrounded by people who openly admit they’ve given up on life. That’s when I realized it’s possible to die inside a living body.
Like many people in the comment section mentioned you don’t forget “the smell”. For me, you never forget “the feeling”.
It’s crazy how just a few blocks down from there, there are Gucci’s and pradas and all the upper class elite stores while all these people have to stay on the street surrounded by filth.....absolutely horrible.
Yeah. I’m familiar with that place. It really is sad going through there. Sometimes I worry I might end up there myself and it scares me, honestly.
Get your ass to work!
@@KASPLARFO how old are you?
It can happen to anyone. Homelessness is not a thing to judge. Than happen from a bad divorce, getting laid off from your job, natural disaster, house fire, or insufficient planning during immigration. Once on the street it can br hard to get off even if you are clean and sober. In the US, there are social programs and transitional living. Indont know how canada handles that. That's kinda why I'm doing pre-immigration "intel"
Wasn't this area, at one time called "Pain and wasting ". I remember that from back in the day.
Still is. That's the name of another documentary on utube. You can search it. Pain and Wastings.
@@Mizz.Person Thanks I will. I don't miss that hole one bit. Just a bad memory.
Brian Darazs yes it sure was!!!! Wow 😮.
@@tashaharris6927 I thought so. I got out of there. Unfortunately some people are not so lucky. And I feel for them.
I have always wondered about the guy Sundance if he is still around ? He was interviewed on a you tube channel & I can't seem to find it .
Born in Collingwood Ontario 1978, then moved to Vancouver in 2007. Then moved back to my home town Collingwood in 2019 and HOLY SHIT!. The drugs and homelessness is spiking high. I don’t drink or use drugs and so I tell you this, DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN OR GET MARRIED!. The world is going to shit and there is nothing we can do to fix it. ✌️Stay good out there
Hey there , Collingwood has a big homelessness and drug problem? I totally didn't know that. Crazy!!! Thanks for the info!
@@MyWalkAround The only shelter can only hold 8 people. It is very cold out and none of the churches are trying to help out in anyway. I am trying to find donations from the rich to create and fund a building that I can manage and keep human people off the streets. Summer people are sleeping in tents behind the Walmart. God save us all 🙏🏻
I worked in the DTES (stationed out of the Pender health clinic) around 15 years ago and it was rough then. Sad to see that it continues to get worse. Also really sad to see the demise of Chinatown. It was such a cool place to go for Dim Sum and check out the Mom & Pop stores.
Interesting. How was it working at the Pender Health clinic?
@@MyWalkAround That was when health care resources were plentiful so although it could be challenging it was also enjoyable. I would not want to be doing that work now.
My brother is here somewhere don't know where hadn't seen or talked to him in 4 years
Hope you find him
Sorry to hear that Zach. I hope you guys find him someday.
Sorry to hear that .
Hes probably high as a kite
the best part is when some dude drops garbage on the garbage covered floor and everyone yells that he dropped something. Then he picks up what he dropped. I was on the edge of my seat!
Actually he dropped his shirt, and his buddies were yelling at him to let him know
I walked over there when visiting Vanc 16 yrs ago. I didn't stay long because it was a dark area but it's much worse now. I pray for these people.
thanks for showing the truth...
I've watched a few videos where the presenter refused to show this part of town when discussing the pros and cons of moving to the city...
we appreciate your honesty...
Thanks for watching. Some people in the comments seem upset that I went to the area and showed this. All I wanted to do was give people a snapshot of reality here, of what it's like for some of the people in this area of the city.
@@MyWalkAround The truth is all people want, positive and negative...
If it weren't for youtube, it'd be hard to know, to realise the extent of the decay of the cities of the west coast....
My brother is a cop in Seattle I've seen the videos of LA, SF And Seattle it's astonishing...
Like they've simply been given over...
Again, thanks...
I've actually walked down east hastings and the one thing I'm gonna say about it they actually mind their own bussiness and you go along with you're day just respect them.
Yes I agree, at least when I've been by there nobody has tried to accost me or harass me or anything of the sort. they keep to themselves pretty much
I can't believe my eyes. This is so disappointing.
Yes, I agree
I remember talking to couple of people from east hastings over a period of time. You find a pattern that almost ALL of them suffer a some form of trauma from their past (child abuse, rape, violence, etc) and didn't how to deal with trauma and the pain... It breaks my heart to pieces everytime when I think about that place...
Keep enabling and they won't get fixed. FREE DRUGS don't solve the problem. They need to CLEAN UP THAT STREET they live there they need a garbage bag and takr responsibility!
Get rid of the drugs and this problem would evaporate.
Drug dealers aren't worried it's worth the risk to them
Hey, are you using a gimbal to film as you walk, or do you have some kind of covert bag set up? I run a security company, training situational awareness, and covert movement in urban areas. Just interested as to what you are doing in areas like East Hastings as not many people seem to be taking much notice of you.
Thanks for your time, I like the page.
Even the best city in the world has its drawbacks .Sadly, this is becoming normal in any big city around the world. Greetings from Barcelona !
Greetings George! Yes, unfortunately this does seem to be a trend in big cities like you said. But it seems especially prevalent on the west coast of Canada and the United States.
Father help me to help all my brothers and sisters around the world please and thank you. No one deserves that kind of life. Jesus have mercy on us all. Amen.😊💕💕❤.
Yeah yeah talk to your hands.
My hood! Don't be fooled, this is a shockingly safe area. Most violence is targeted.
Pretty much, dont act like a tourist, dont stare, and dont be a dick. Pretty simple rules for not getting stabbed or maced
@@sleazemcsleazerson1723 Tell that poverty tourist!
i remember living on east hasting when i was around 7 or something. there was less homelessness, it less dangerous, you couldve saw my group of friends and i walking around ages like 7 to 16. east hastings is rough now. :(
Trust me, if you go there yourself it looks much worse. I was there recently and it was really disturbing. I did not feel safe, I was checking my surroundings every few seconds and was rushing to get out of that area
lmfao
This starting happening in the early 1980 when cocain exploded in the east side. I stayed at a hotel down there in 1972 with my father. His friend owned the hotel back than it was normal. All types of great shops with neon signs. I remember eating at the ovaltine Cafe. We let the drugs consume us and now there's no way out! Breaks my heart to see Vancouver fall to such a deadly enemy.
Yes, with time this area has really fallen. It's too bad...
It's so tragic to know I'm not the only person watching hoping to see a long lost loved one is still alive.
I was quite happy when you turned around to have a look at the statues at Keefer & Columbia, for sure thought you were just going to glance at the Easy Park and continue on your way. Nice vid. I'm glad the guy with the heavy load over his shoulder got his shirt back too.
Glad you enjoyed it Ice Viking! Thanks for watching!
I'm from pakistan.and I only love two western countries,canada and new zealand.because of their kindness, good manners and politeness!!! but feel so sad to watch good Canadian people loosing their precious lives just to get high.😟☹️😒😭😭😭
Are you fruits picker?
The safety is getting worse and worse as well in New Zealand, seems like this is the same issue for all western countries
The scariest place in Vancouver for me.
This video should be shown to all high school kids in the Lower Mainland as part of their curriculum.
We drove home to Ontario from BC, and made sure to go through Main St and Hastings after I saw it on a Drugs Inc episode. Wow. Sirens constantly, due to first responders heading to overdoses.
Yes, it's kind of a shocking sight the first time you see it...
Sirens are heard frequently in North Kensington, Philadelphia as well, for the very same reasons.
The one thing that i love about Vancouver though is even E Hastings they will leave you alone if you keep to yourself. Just gotta know how to move
You don't know what misery and danger are until you walk the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
My buddy used to drive cab all over that area,he once had a lady run in front of his cab straight into a Hugh store window,really sad she was sliced up badly but still continued running and screaming as the blood was pouring out of her,rough area is putting it nicely.
Greetings, I am a RUclips channel that is doing a documentary on Asia vs America, would it be possible to use some of this footage and give you credit for it in my video? Kind Regards ALex
Hi, there, yes that would be ok. And yes, if you could Please mention my channel / give credit. Thanks!
When I was 19 years old, I was living under the Georgia street bridge. I ended up on Welfare and got a place at the Cobalt. Mostly those people I talked to were pretty friendly. The people that didn't want to talk to you if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. Not as scary as people think it is. I wish I still knew the people I met on the streets to see how they are doing. Some of the older men there helped me onto Welfare and told me not to give up. I was so scared and messed up that I don't remember their faces or names.
Hi Kit, thanks for sharing your personal experiences. It must have been a difficult and challenging time. Thanks again :)
I hope you are doing well Kit ❤️
They just lie about how perfect this place is. The truth is that there lots of ugliness, like anywhere else. There are lots more ugliness beyond this video, such as hate, racism, anger, greed, etc.
that one street - how can they just have clothes and standing outside? there are no businesses running there?
I dont live anywhere near Vancouver but my heart goes out to these ppl good or bad, no one wants to live like this😢
Agreed! Thanks for watching
I found my true love there and someday i will see him there
Believe it or not but some do. Give them a chance and they will prove it to you. Offer someone a place to stay then add but you must stay drug clean. Give them food then add but you have to clean up around you. Wear this shirt but you have to shave. See how many walk away. They do not want rules that govern them.
What camera did you use? Im asking because of the curious darken and light up of the movie during your walk through this aera. Did you do that or was your camera defective?
I used an osmo pocket. More very early vids were filmed with a couple others, but now my stuff is predominantly osmo Pocket.
Great video
Thanks for sharing
Vancouver is the end of the line for a lot of souls
This is spreading into the West End and Stanley Park over the last few months. So sad.
I'm surprised at how extensive the problems are on East Hastings! That's a lot of people struggling there. WHy is Chinatown to dead? It's right in the core of the city!
Chinatown isnt dead... opium dens and gambling still goes on. I worked in gas town not far from here and the downstairs of the place was all fitted out as a underground casino. It was a pretty shady place... I dont work there anymore.
Outside looks all fked up. Somethings going on at night.
I've since been told that Chinatown always shuts down and gets quiet early on weekends. I don't know if that's accurate or not - I don't understand why it would.
Interesting! Curious to hear more of the underbelly of the area ! Feel free to share any stories here lol!
The new Vancouver Chinatown is the city of Richmond, just a Canada line away...
West Coast cities are so similar. If I didn’t see the video’s tittle/description I couldn’t tell the difference from Portland/Berkeley/Oakland/Seattle.
The homeless/beggars seemed more aggressive in Vancouver during my short stay than the homeless in America. It’s like they have a hard time when you tell them no.
Progressives everywhere are the same.
There's been quite a few comments on here saying that it's similar to American cities along the coast. I didn't realize til people were commenting...
My Walk Around come visit bro.
It's got nothing to do with political affiliations. It's mearly the geographical locations. All these west coast communities have one thing in common... Their proximity to the ocean and the influx of transportation from Asia and along with it comes the drugs. Wouldn't surprise me if gangs have a huge part to play in this as well. They prey on the most vulnerable because of how easy it is to obtain the drugs for dispersement.
China Town in London ( England ) is one of the most wonderful places in any City I have ever been to and I have travelled a lot .
I don't doubt that. I've never been to London, I hope to one day see it :)
Back in the late 60's and early 70's I drove for Suburban Taxi in East Vancouver. We had a cab stand in front of the Smiling Buddha at East Hastings and Main I can't believe how much the area has changed for the worst. There was never a presence of so many homeless people at this level. Carroll and Hastings had a presence but not all along the street. Tragic to see and more difficult to understand. Interesting to compare Hastings with Pender Street. Pender is clean and proper. I later worked at the Canadian Fishing Company at the Foot of Gore.
Pender is not clean lol I used to work there fending off looters - store lost 1.7 mil worth of goods to theft alone
vancouver: Damn, why you gottta expose me like that
Hey...honesty analyzing a problematic situation is the first step to finding reasonable solution that may REDUCE the problem
because we need to know
Paralysis by analysis. This area has been thoroughly documented in the media and by academics for the last 20 years to no avail.
This is actually just a tip of the ice burg... the drug issue is spread all over the whole East Van, Surrey, etc. It's very unfortunate that the government allow this epidemic to spread. It also creates other crimes like robbery, BNE, prostitution, etc. HIV/AIDS are also problematic as well. That being said, I still don't think it's the drug addict's fault, because drugs are all over the place, it's not hard to find. The government needs to deal with this more comprehensively and aggressively, so that the number of crimes, HIV/AIDS infections, homeless will go down.
I agree with what you're saying Tony, as far as the government needs to deal with this, but I don't think it can be dealt with unless the goal is to get people off of drugs. If the goal is to just get them off the street, then they could just arrest them all for the drug use and possession. But I think we all would rather see these people get off the drugs and beat their addiction. That's where I think they need to really focus. Helping those who genuinely want to beat the addiction. I'd like To see the government come up with an aggressive way to assist those who are hell bent on getting off the drugs, and have the frame of mind that they are willing to do anything to get clean and sober. I don't know what they could do to be aggressive though, short of getting people to agree to be held in a facility against their will until the withdrawal effects are completely gone. I don't think there is a simple answer...
Can you please do this on a welfare Wednesday?! My first time going to Vancouver was last yr and I ended up staying at the WOMANS HOMELESS SHELTER on Hastings on a welfare Wednesday Night, and lemme tell you I never seen something like Hastings specially when they are all wired up and tweakers are running around, Climbing poles and home made fireworks are going off it's like a war zone out there!
marlabarton151
Yes!
This is crazy calm. No buses? No traffic? Sunday morning?
sounds like a hoot! prob get layed with $10 worth a dope or what.... lol ( i never go to any city.... just fine out in the stix with all the alcoholism smh
Never could figure out all the "Vancouver's the best city in the world" propaganda. Vancouver is a place to stay away from unless you're rich.
Thank you for this video. I have shared this with my friends overseas. Is it okay if I mention your channel. Kindest Regards
Hi, yes please mention my channel lol. Thanks :)
If you take the bus from Georgia and Granville to Chinatown at night rough patch to go through. It starts getting really rough after 6pm. We come to Vancouver from San Francisco once a year and shop at the Army Navy store in this neighborhood feels kind of like some parts of San Francisco too.
I like the Army and Navy store. It feels like the one place that hasn't changed and has "stayed true" to itself...
This is a " dull roar " of what it usually is. Go back there on the Saturday night after welfare Wednesday to Main and Hastings and look at the scene then. Methheads are nocturnal, most of them were asleep when you filmed this.
I’m born and raised in Vancouver Canada aka vancity. And I live near this area
Probably live in a tent
Franklin Hatch go get married
thatsallday23 just delete RUclips
perfect video! very well done my friend.
I was planning to study at Vancouver Film School. and as I saw in your video you just walked around it
is the neighborhood safe around there?
and one more question is it safe around the street that poor or homeless people are located? I mean are they chill? or are they aggressive kind of homeless people?
Generally they are chill I think. You do hear about stuff happening sometimes, but that can happen anywhere. If you want to go to Vancouver film school, I would go. Don't let the general area surrounding it deter you. I also believe that Vancouver Police have officers specifically assigned to patrol the east Hastings area. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
@@MyWalkAround Thank you so much for answering. it really helped me a lot! ;)
No problem Morteza!
morteza karimzadeh also the problems aren’t as bad up at the film school! the sidewalk wasn’t filled yesterday so it might be some days but they get kicked off eventually. i only saw a few in that part
@@madisondicaprio7792 tnx for sharing
it really was helpful ;)
I’m so thankful that our small island has few homeless people and my brother who lives there in Vancouver has his own house to stay thank God please bless these people to have safe and comfortable place to stay
I have booked a Uhaul box 6 days 7 nights ( Wardrobe Box) for this summer for my next vacation on Hastings east ..can't wait
I’m half aus and half Canadian and live in Australia and I cam to this suburb and man this was a huge shock
Yes it's not something that you'd expect in Vancouver. But when Vancouver opened up the very first safe injection site in Canada, people that were drug users starting moving to the area from all over.
This is what drugs do.....drastic degradation of the normal life....the soul trapped in a prison in an addicted physical body..... I admire anyone who can get out
Helena VonDrakenstein "This is what drugs do.....drastic degradation of the normal life....the soul trapped in a prison in an addicted physical body." The two most common highly addictive drugs that most of these folks have in common are coffee and cigarettes.
I think it's more correct to say that people use drugs to escape trauma. Society needs to stop the abuse and trauma of its citizens, and the citizens won't turn to meth and fentanyl. Getting rid of the drugs is only one side of the problem.
@@rollotomasi1873 maybe a tour of the city morgue would help
@@helenavondrakenstein4969 That probably wouldn't help anyone.
I almost became a statistic until the universe though Jesus saved me when I chose to believe in him. I was living in a hotel looking out the 7th floor window ready to jump to end all my pain. All my pain brought on from my bad decision, physical & social disabilities. I found a book, actually given, read it & believe in it. Now 15 years later I am where I always wished I could be. Thanks Universe & Jesus, you saved me. Such a beautiful place though. I hope they can all find the help they need so the city & people can flourish with all the potential they deserve
Thanks for sharing your story djexclusivee! I'm glad to hear that you are in a better place now!
Congratulations on becoming sober, much respect. I urge you to please try reading the Quran. The translation of it, as well as take a look to see all the scientific miracles that are presented in the Quran, written 1400 years ago. I hope you find it in your heart to take a look at what I'm suggesting. Thank you and God bless
We used to spend every Sunday shopping in China town with bbq pork wonton lunch noodles at Hons. Veggies at Sunrise, then a walk home with all of our goods. There always were a lot of crazy characters but that was part of the charm and I never felt scared in the DTES.....I cant imagine the pain and suffering happening now. Its heartbreaking to watch
Yes things have slowly spiraled out of control. I haven't been in the DTES since the pandemic hit, so I'm not sure what it's looking like right now...at some point I'll go back
The area in Surrey is even more dangerous.
My grandparents used to live in a building complex around these streets and we would visit them from time to time here. Always made sure I walked in the morning/afternoon and was aware of my surroundings. It was pretty shocking when I first arrived & especially considering Gastown was like a few blocks away