Carrying signs saying “NO! to Broadway Plan! and “Mental Health Needs Nature, not Towers,” residents from almost every neighbourhood in Vancouver met at the north end of City Hall on Saturday, May 7 to protest the City’s plan for massive  density throughout Vancouver. 

The Broadway and Vancouver Plans will go to Council in the coming weeks. Both plans call for towers of heights up to 40 storeys along Broadway and areas near subway stations. Side streets could also see heights between six and 18 storeys.  

One of the speakers, retired Vancouver architect Brian Palmquist, an advocate of neighbourhood-based planning who has studied the Broadway Plan extensively, said the rally highlights a loss of trust between the government and its residents, whom he says have not been adequately consulted on the City’s plans. His words were echoed by other speakers and protesters.

Resident Janice Douglas told the crowd of about 250 the disastrous results the redevelopment of the Cambie Corridor has had on her community. The removal of  green space, she said, has left children with nowhere to play but their balconies. “There is no neighbourhood here anymore,” she said.

Sentheepan Senthivel, co-owner of  Green’s Organic Natural Market located on Broadway near Arbutus,  said the daily construction of the Broadway Subway has already driven his business down by 40 percent. “I’m constantly on the phone with the City,” TransLink, and even the province, he said, “kicking and screaming to get any kind of result.” Senthivel has written to the City manager, Mayor Kennedy Stewart and City Councillors for help but has only heard back from Cllr. Colleen Hardwick. “Why doesn’t the government support their own? Where’s the care?” he asked.

The protest was emceed by Vancouver commentator Bill Tieleman, and proceeded peacefully from 11 am until noon.  

 The Broadway Plan is slated for Council discussion and decision on May 18, 2022.