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This article is about indigenous rights and their push to impact Climate Change

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World leaders delayed decision on carbon markets

When it came to negotiating a climate deal at COP25 in Madrid last week, there was no agreement on the main issue - but that's not why Ta'Kaiya Blaney was disappointed.

Ta'Kaiya, 18, is an Indigenous teen from the Tla'amin First Nation in B.C. who was attending the conference "to push for the inclusion of Indigenous rights in climate solutions," she told CBC Kids News.

Ta'Kaiya said she was disappointed because she felt Indigenous issues were overlooked.

"I think it's a bit of a disappointment because, you know, we're working on such a tight timeline when it comes to climate change," she said. "There's no recognized value of Indigenous peoples' rights."

"We witness changes in the environment in a very direct way that impacts our ability to hunt and feed ourselves," Ta'Kaiya said.

Ta'Kaiya's role was to participate in panels, press conferences and negotiations - meaning she was there to observe and put pressure, but she didn't have a say in what got done.

Indigenous activists from all over the world, including the Amazon in South America, protested at COP25. (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)

"The solutions that [world leaders are] putting forward basically don't have protections for Indigenous peoples," she said, "and it allows the same companies that have been exploiting our lands and contributing to climate change to continue to exploit our lands with no change being made."

Indigenous voices resonated

Jennifer Allen attended COP25 for an organization called IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development) and was there to take notes and provide reports on the events of COP25.

She said that the Indigenous groups' voices resonated among some decision-makers.

Jennifer Allen said countries could not agree on most of the big issues at COP25. (Submitted by Jennifer Allen)

"I think it helped the countries that are pushing for more climate ambition and climate action," said Allen, who estimates that she's been to about 16 climate conferences.

With regards to issues like Indigenous rights, "there was more talk of that at this conference and more debate than I've seen at least in the last couple of years," she said.

Key decision postponed

But in the end, one of the key goals of COP25 was not achieved and world leaders walked away with their work unfinished.

It relates to Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement, which was reached in 2015.

One of the key decisions around carbon markets was postponed until next year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was disappointed in the outcome of COP25, but vowed to keep working toward a solution. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

What are carbon markets?

It's a way for countries to benefit if they reduce their emissions more than others, by selling credits to those countries that are falling behind.

Allen compared it to a video game, where players can sell tokens or extra lives to players who are losing the game.

Young activists from around the world, including Canada, attended the COP25 conference in Madrid. (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)

Jennifer Morgan, Greenpeace International's executive director, blamed Brazil and Saudi Arabia for standing in the way of an agreement.

Allen said Canada found itself in the middle.

"I didn't see Canada really blocking anything. I also didn't see them really standing out and taking a leadership role, either," she said.

Another approach needed

Ta'Kaiya doesn't believe that countries should be making these arrangements in the first place.

Ta'Kaiya Blaney, bottom row, second from left, attended COP25 as part of Indigenous Climate Action's delegation. (indigenousclimateaction/Instagram)

"It's using our lands to extract [oil and gas] and using our lands to offset [emissions] without any actual reductions to emissions," she said.

She would prefer that countries come up with non-market solutions to fight climate change.

With files from The Associated Press and CBC

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Teen who pushed for Indigenous rights at COP25 disappointed | CBC Kids News

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When it came to negotiating a climate deal at COP25 in Madrid last week, there was no agreement on the main issue - but that's not why Ta'Kaiya Blaney was disappointed. Ta'Kaiya, 18, is an Indigenous teen from the Tla'amin First Nation in B.C.

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The basics of climate change

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Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National Geographic

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Cause and Effect of Climate Change (Greenhouse effect)

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Cause and Effect of Climate Change (Greenhouse effect)

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Causes and Effects of Climate Change | National Geographic

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The basics of Air Pollution

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Air Pollution | Video for Kids | Causes, Effects & Solution

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Air quality experts are calling for restrictions on car use during school runs after a report found that children face a threefold increase in air pollution.
Researchers at the University of Surrey's Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) partnered with a local school and the community in the town of Guildford to investigate the impact that cars have on air quality in and around schools during the key morning and afternoon times.

They installed air quality sensor kits in five key areas around the school of more than 420 pupils, including drop-off points where cars often remain stationery in queues while the engine continues to run, the playground which is located near a main road, and a classroom. Researchers examined the concentration of fine (PM 2.5) and coarse particulate matter, plus carbon dioxide, during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times.

'Main source of air pollution'

They found discovered that dangerous PM 2.5 from vehicles lining up to drop off children were the main source of air pollution around the school. PM 2.5 levels were also nearly three times higher during morning drop-off periods than the afternoon pick-up or active school periods. This is due to the fact that pick-ups were conducted from off-site parking areas and a large number of pupils took part in after school activities.

PM 2.5 levels also rose slightly within the classrooms closest to the road during drop-off and pick-up times. The results suggest that this could be because of the classroom's dependence on natural ventilation, which brings in unfiltered air.

The study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, also found that the playground's close proximity to the main road, a characteristic similar to many of the country's schools, resulted in the playground having consistently high PM 2.5 levels at key times in the school day.

'This is work of global significance'

It compliments the findings of a similar report published by UNICEF in 2018, which said that toxic emissions can damage children's growth and leave them with lasting health problems. Based on work by Queen Mary's University in London, it found that in nearly three quarters of UK towns and cities, children are breathing unsafe levels of air pollution

GCARE researchers are now calling on schools to provide safe and accessible off-site parking drop-off points to help reduce levels of air pollution. The team has also recommended the use of green hedges as physical barriers to prevent air pollutants reaching children from cars at drop-off points and the main road.

Professor Prashant Kumar, Director of GCARE at the University of Surrey, said: "This is work of global significance, but we are also proud to collaborate with our local community on this work - employing smart sensing technology and a citizen science approach. The findings will be of great concern to parents locally and further afield.

'We must protect them'

"It goes without saying that our children's health and wellbeing is of the highest priority in society and that is why we must protect them from the dangers of air pollution, including where the school run can now be seen to be directly impacting the school environment.

"Every school is different. However, many have characteristics that will mean that children are exposed to hotspots of air pollution in school premises. We have found that the use of cars during the school run is increasing the number of dangerous particles our children breath in, even during playtime long after they have been dropped off."

Click here to read the full study.

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Children face three times more air pollution during school drop-off

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Air quality experts are calling for restrictions on car use during school runs after a report found that children face a threefold increase in air pollution.

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World Wildlife Fund's Youth report (2018) that summarizes the main impacts humans have had on nature, and gives some ideas on what you can do

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Facts on current population size, resource use, and some  solutions to tackle this problem.

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Population Matters | Every Choice Counts | Sustainable World Population

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Our population has become so large that the Earth cannot cope

There are now more than 7,700,000,000 people on planet Earth.

It took until the early 1800s for the world population to reach one billion. Now we add a billion every 12-15 years.

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There are now more than 7,700,000,000 people on planet Earth. It took until the early 1800s for the world population to reach one billion. Now we add a billion every 12-15 years.

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Video we watched in class showing that how we plan and build cities can make us sicker OR it can make us healthier and happier.

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This article and short video shows how cities are responding to social distancing measures in public spaces, especially roads.

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In the span of a few short months, we have witnessed the emergence of a new coronavirus and watched it kill more than 200,000 people worldwide, bedevil the health-care system, batter the global economy and change how (and where) we work.

While some cities have eased lockdown restrictions, physical distancing measures that health officials say are crucial to halting the spread of COVID-19 will likely be with us for months, if not longer. They are already having an effect on activity levels and the flow of cities, and planners, architects and designers are seeing changes both in Canada and around the world that could become permanent.

Rachel MacCleery, senior vice-president at the Urban Land Institute, a city planning think-tank in Washington, D.C., said that "over the short and long term, certain aspects of city life will shift," from the use of streets and transit to the design of spaces inside buildings.

Every major calamity, from the 19th-century cholera outbreaks to the 2013 floods in Calgary, has provided valuable lessons in better city-building, said John Brown, president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. For example, the identification of waterborne diseases forced authorities to rethink water and sewage infrastructure and "led to the whole notion of city planning."

But COVID-19 poses a unique challenge. Ensuring people have access to transit, shopping amenities and fresh air, all while maintaining a two-metre distance, is difficult in high-density areas.

The importance of streets

Brent Toderian, a former chief city planner for Vancouver who now runs a city planning consultancy, said "the biggest conversation during the pandemic is the role of streets as a principal public space in cities."

As a result of our collective self-isolation, there are fewer cars on the road. At the same time, people are seeking respite outdoors by walking. But it is increasingly challenging to maintain a respectful distance on sidewalks without veering into traffic.
WATCH: How cities may change to allow for physical distancing:
"The irony is that as people are walking out onto the street to give reasonable space to their neighbours on the sidewalk, they are risking safety," said Toderian.

Some municipalities are taking bold action to address this. Last week, the Italian city of Milan announced "Strade Aperte," a plan to transform 35 kilometres of streets to expand cycling and walking space. In reducing car capacity, it will have the dual effect of providing a safe outlet for walkers and reducing air pollution. Berlin, Budapest and Mexico City are just some of the cities proposing similar measures.

In the interests of less physical contact and more consideration for pedestrians, Toderian said city officials should deactivate crosswalk buttons (what some urbanists call "beg buttons") and program the crossings to light up at frequent intervals - something Calgary recently did.

Calgary was also quick to close a number of city streets to cars in order to provide an outlet for cyclists and pedestrians. Other cities have gone significantly further. Oakland, Calif., for example, closed 119 kilometres - 10 per cent of its entire street network - to through-traffic.

A Colombian model

Amanda O'Rourke, executive director of the Toronto-based urban design consultancy 8 80 Cities, said one of the most interesting models is Bogota, Colombia. This city of 7.4 million is starved for public space, and so back in 1974 it established the Ciclovía- every Sunday between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., 120 kilometres of arterial city streets are closed to motorized traffic.

The Ciclovía has become a festival for cyclists, walkers, skateboarders and others, and every week, about 1.5 million people take part. While that sort of physical proximity isn't recommended right now, O'Rourke said the Ciclovía is "a resiliency strategy."

"You can open it every day," she said, pointing out that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ciclovía has become "a corridor for essential workers and relieves some of the pressure on public transit."

The challenge of transit

Indeed, public transit is a crucial element of any cityscape, as many people can't rely on a car to get around. Most cities are reporting a drop in public transit use during the pandemic, and it's likely to remain lower than usual in the short term, said Ahsan Habib, director of the school of planning at Dalhousie University.

"Even if the disease is eradicated, there will be a perceived risk in [public transit]," Habib said.

During the pandemic, American cities such as Atlanta, Chicago and Denver have made several adjustments to their transit systems, including suspending fares and allowing rear-door boarding.

Habib said that ultimately, cities must invest in ways to make buses and streetcars less prone to crowding. "We need new terminals, we need new markings, new seating arrangements."

Besides streets, parks play a key role in cities. Although she agrees with roping off playgrounds and other recreational structures to minimize the risk of transmitting the coronavirus via surfaces, O'Rourke said parks themselves must stay open because they "provide space for mental and physical health."

"Parks and open spaces really prove their value in this current environment," said MacCleery. She noted that they form a "natural network" with streets, and together can be used to create alternate ways for people to move within a city.

For example, to accommodate more cyclists and pedestrians, Vancouver announced earlier this month that Stanley Park would be closed to cars (except for the Stanley Park Causeway, or Highway 99, which leads to the Lions Gate Bridge).

New ways to work

Among other things, the pandemic has demonstrated the feasibility of letting a large part of the labour force work from home. While not everyone can telecommute, enough people are able to do so that it could reduce demand for physical offices, which could in turn affect the proliferation of highrise buildings.

"I'm having a number of conversations with companies that are saying, 'We may not need the space that we have,'" said John Brown, who also runs a Calgary-based architecture firm called Housebrand.

In light of physical distancing directives, he said offices that do remain open will likely rethink the open-concept model that's been so pervasive in recent decades.

He said telecommuting may also have an impact on the layout of homes, as residents seek to carve out discrete corners in even the tiniest condo suite to have a private Zoom meeting.

"People are saying ... 'I need a separate space - and it needs to be separate from my spouse's [work] space.'"

One of the essential services during the pandemic has been grocery stores, which have not only kept us fed but developed a series of measures to protect shoppers and employees.

While these protocols aren't standardized, they have included reducing the number of entrances into the store; limiting the number of customers inside at any given time; marking a safe distance between shoppers; and in some cases, introducing one-way aisles.

Brown said any kind of retail store "could follow the grocery-store model," just by "subtly adjusting the way people move."

Allowing people to eat in restaurants will likely be a more complicated task, Brown said, and will probably involve less densely packed dining areas and fewer patrons at one time.

Brown said the biggest challenge is probably going to be places "where we congregate for assembly uses, like churches, cinemas, theatres and stadiums."

Sports venues are particularly tricky, he said, as they are most successful - both in terms of profit and as a social experience - when they're packed. "How do we manage that? You can't just say we'll leave every third seat free."

MacCleery emphasized that while urban dwellers are likely to see previously unimaginable changes in their day-to-day lives, "fundamentally, the power and appeal of cities will endure. This isn't the first pandemic that the world has seen."

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From Calgary to Milan to Bogota, COVID-19 is changing how cities look and operate | CBC News

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In the span of a few short months, we have witnessed the emergence of a new coronavirus and watched it kill more than 200,000 people worldwide, bedevil the health-care system, batter the global economy and change how (and where) we work.

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Do you know the difference between weather and climate? | Quizzes | CBC Kids

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Have you heard people talking about global warming in the news, and then looked outside and saw a snowstorm? The answer is the difference between weather and climate.

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Why certain naturally occurring wildfires are necessary - Jim Schulz

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Grown-ups are smart and you can learn so much from them, but sometimes your parents can learn a lot from you, too! It's good to share things with your grown-ups that you've learned at school or even from reading this blog post ;) Speaking of blog posts, this one's about single-use plastics. What are they? How do they affect our world? Read on to learn more and then you can talk to your grown-ups and hopefully help them change their old ways!

What are single-use plastics?

Single-use plastics are any kind of plastic tool that we use one time and then throw away. Things like plastic straws, forks, knives, spoons, water/soda bottles and plastic grocery bags are all examples of single-use plastics.

Why are they bad?

Children play on a beach in the Philippines that is covered with single-use plastic waste. (Photo by Jes Aznar/Getty Images)

Single-use plastics are not great because they are used for such a short time and then thrown into the garbage. That garbage ends up in landfills, rivers, lakes or oceans where it can sit for many, many years. Plastic doesn't biodegrade (break down naturally over time) like paper does. The worst part is that animals sometimes think this plastic is food and end up eating it and getting really sick.

How can you help?

Bring a reusable bag when you go shopping. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

Every little bit helps. Here are some simple ways that both you and your grown-up can cut down on using single-use plastics:

Water bottles - Refill reusable water bottles instead of using single-use plastic water bottles.

Drinking straws - Tell restaurants that you don't need a straw and bring your own reusable straw if you really need one.

Shopping bags - Bring your own reusable cloth shopping bags instead of using plastic bags.

Plastic cutlery - Avoid plastic forks and spoons if possible and carry your own reusable forks, knives and spoons if you can!

Where should single-use plastics go?

Recycle your plastics in your blue bins! (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Honest Tea)

If you do end up using single-use plastics, try to put them in recycling bins whenever possible. Recycling is the best option for single-use plastics because then they can be melted down, made into something new and reused again!

Who is responsible?

It's not always easy to change - like not using plastic straws - but you can do it! (Photo by PATRICK PLEUL/AFP/Getty Images)

We are all responsible to help fix this problem. Change isn't always easy and habits can be hard to break, especially for older people like your grown-ups. ;) It's important that we all work together and take these small steps to help save the animals and our planet!

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Talking to your grown-ups about ... single-use plastics | CBC Kids

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Grown-ups are smart and you can learn so much from them, but sometimes your parents can learn a lot from you, too! It's good to share things with your grown-ups that you've learned at school or even from reading this blog post ;) Speaking of blog posts, this one's about single-use plastics.

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A happy story :)

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So much of our world is plastic - it's everywhere you look! We use it in our everyday lives when we use plastic bottles, straws, utensils, and plastic shopping bags. Although it is cheap to make, the problem is that plastic never goes away. Plastic doesn't biodegrade (meaning it never fully breaks down in the environment over time) and a lot of it sadly it ends up in our oceans. There is an estimate that if we keep using plastic the same way we have been, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by the year 2050! Luckily there are people working very hard to try to fix this problem. In honour of World Oceans Day on June 8, let's check out how this young inventor is making it his mission to save the oceans through his company, The Ocean Cleanup.

What is it?

This is a map that shows The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is a collection of ocean debris and garbage that is moved to two areas by the ocean currents. By NOAA/Wikimedia/Public Domain

The Ocean Cleanup is an organization founded in 2013. Their goal is to remove up to half of all the plastic that has gathered in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (an area of the northern Pacific Ocean where the ocean currents collect all of the trash into one concentrated area) in the next 10 years. The patch is very large and filled with very small plastic particles that are hard to see but easily swallowed by sea creatures like fish, turtles, dolphins and whales. The plastic in the water is very dangerous and unhealthy for all aquatic life.

Who came up with it?

Dutch environmental activist and innovator Boyan Slat unveils the prototype of The Ocean Cleanup project in Scheveningen, Holland on June 22, 2016. (REMKO DE WAAL/AFP/Getty Images)

The Ocean Cleanup was founded by Boyan Slat, who was only 17 at the time! In 2013, Boyan came up with an idea that would help remove plastics and other garbage from the oceans quickly, and for less money than it usually costs. Today, his idea has grown into a real organization that has performed a lot of research and tests and is ready to launch their first working project later this year!

How does it work?

The prototype (pictured above) will be tested in the North Sea in 2020.(REMKO DE WAAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Boyan's idea was to use the ocean's predictable currents to bring the plastic and other garbage to their collection stations instead of using ships and nets to chase it down. As the ocean moves, carefully positioned screens catch the plastics and other trash. These stations will be set up way out in the middle of the garbage patch in the northern Pacific and the deep screens will catch the plastic while still letting sea life swim under it without being disturbed!

Why is it important?

Plastic garbage is displayed prior to a press conference of the Ocean Cleanup foundation in Utrecht, Netherlands, Thursday, May 11, 2017.(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Sea creatures sometimes mistake plastic in the ocean for food and then eat it and get sick. Boyan and his team are doing some very impressive and important work. The faster we can remove the plastic and garbage from the ocean, the more fish, turtles, dolphins and whales we can save! And the healthier the oceans will be for all of us.

How can you help?

Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

You can help by trying to use less plastic: use glass, metal or bamboo straws; say no to plastic bags and opt for reusable fabric grocery bags instead. Avoid plastic water bottles by using refillable water bottles when possible. Every little bit helps!

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Meet the young inventor helping to clean up the oceans | CBC Kids

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So much of our world is plastic - it's everywhere you look! We use it in our everyday lives when we use plastic bottles, straws, utensils, and plastic shopping bags. Although it is cheap to make, the problem is that plastic never goes away.

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Earthquakes can leave behind incredible devastation, while also creating some of the planet's most magnificent formations. Learn about the geophysics behind earthquakes, how they are measured, and where the most powerful earthquake ever witnessed occurred.

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CBC kids explains how to make your carbon footprint (and impact on Earth) smaller

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Climate 101: Deforestation | National Geographic

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Sir David Attenborough explains how humans can take charge of our future and save our planet.

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This article discusses how cities can prepare for natural and climate disasters.

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Posted in: News Item

Date Posted: 2018-12-03

Organization Name: Vancouver Island University

Can community planning play a role in creating more resilient communities that are better able to withstand natural disasters?

Vancouver Island University (VIU) Master of Community Planning student Lainy Nowak says without a doubt. She is investigating ways in which governments can plan cities to better withstand slow-moving environmental issues such as climate change and fast-moving natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.

"We are seeing the effects of climate change worldwide. The frequency of severe weather events continues to increase, and we know that it's only a matter of time before the West Coast experiences a large earthquake," says Nowak. "My research explores how planning policies can help shape cities before an event happens. Creating an action plan for resilience will save lives, help cities recover faster, and improve the wellbeing of communities and the people who live there."

Nowak was awarded a Queen Elizabeth Scholarship through VIU's Building Resilience in Coastal Communities program to travel to Christchurch, New Zealand this summer to work with the city's Civil Defence and Emergency Management department. In February 2011, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck 10 kilometres southeast of Christchurch, causing nearly 200 deaths and a massive amount of damage to structures.

"Even seven years later, you can see how much damage the earthquake caused - almost half of downtown is just rubble and old buildings waiting to be demolished," says Nowak.

While there, she interviewed planning professionals, emergency management specialists, and academics. Christchurch city council is increasing the city's level of preparedness for natural disasters, she says. For example, staff are looking at implementing a network of tsunami information boards and evacuation signs. Nowak helped out at community engagement events and contributed to awareness campaigns and materials that aim to educate the Christchurch population on how to be better prepared.

"There was a tsunami warning two years ago and nobody knew what to do," she says. "Now the city is asking people what they think they need to be better prepared."

Out of what she heard and saw in Christchurch, two major themes emerged for Nowak - preparedness or having the necessary infrastructure, supports, and resources in place to ensure everybody knows what to do in the event of a major event; and community.

"A widespread sense of community is a huge factor in the resilience of a city," explains Nowak. "After the earthquake, the people of Christchurch banded together to help each other out. First responders and volunteers can't help everybody; but, if you have a group of people living around you that you've created connections with, you're more likely to support each other and recover faster."

Nowak's thesis will include a mixture of land use planning recommendations and examples of ways planning can foster better community connections, such as creating public spaces for neighbours to gather together. She was recently awarded a REACH award, given to students conducting their own original research by VIU's Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity Office, to help with this work.

She hopes to eventually present her findings at conferences, including the Planning Institute of BC's annual conference, in an effort to share what she's learned. After graduation, Nowak's dream job would be to help create more resilient cities.

"Lainy is a focused student who worked diligently with the City of Christchurch to create a project that is not only interesting, but also addresses a knowledge gap here and in New Zealand," says Dr. Pam Shaw, Director of the Master of Community Planning Program and Nowak's supervisor. "I look forward to the completion of this research, and to all the tremendous work that I know Lainy will contribute to the profession as her career unfolds."

3 Tips for More Resilient Individuals

Want to know more about what YOU, as an individual, can do to be more prepared for a natural disaster? Here are Nowak's top three recommendations:

1. Get to know your neighbours

2. Understand your risks

3. Create a preparedness plan

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VIU student investigates how to help cities better prepare for natural disasters - Municipal World

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Can community planning play a role in creating more resilient communities that are better able to withstand natural disasters? Vancouver Island University (VIU) Master of Community Planning student Lainy Nowak says without a doubt. She is investigating ways in which ... [...]

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Vancouver's response to support social distancing during Covid 19: 'Slow Streets' for bikes and pedestrians

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We closed or limited access to select roads and paths to limit large gatherings and help you keep 2 m away from others while exercising and getting fresh air.

We'll monitor the closures and changes and adjust them if needed.

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Slow Streets
Routes for walking, cycling, and rolling that make it easier to exercise and access businesses in your local neighbourhood.

Motor vehicle access is limited to local traffic only.

People walking may pass each other using the roadway.

Drive slowly and watch for people on the road.

On-street parking, access for emergency vehicles, and waste/recycling collection is maintained.

Sign and barrier installation

On May 22, we'll start installing 12 km of Slow Streets signs and barriers. Other routes across the city will be added in the coming weeks.

Upcoming and installed Slow Streets

Have your say

In a few weeks, we'll be asking the public for ideas and feedback on how to make these routes more comfortable for walking, cycling, and rolling. Using input from residents and businesses, we'll make adjustments and improvements at key locations.

Questions? Email us at slowstreets@vancouver.ca

Beach Ave
Eastbound lanes are closed to all vehicles from Stanley Park to Hornby St.

Follow the detour signs when driving eastbound.

Access to residences is maintained going westbound.

Residential parking is maintained on the north side of Beach Avenue where possible.

The #23 Main Street Station bus going eastbound will detour on Davie Street

View a map of the closures PDF file (426 KB)

Stanley Park (excluding Causeway/Highway 99)
Closed to all vehicles, with some exceptions.

Emergency services, the #19 bus, and Park Board and City service vehicles can still access the park.

Key tenants and leaseholders can still access the park via checkpoints at the Georgia St roundabout, facilitated by Rangers and Park Board staff.

The Causeway/Highway 99 is open.

View a map of the closures PDF file (58 KB)

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Temporary road closures and changes during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic

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We closed or limited access to select roads and paths to help you keep 2 m away from others while exercising and getting fresh air.

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A slideshow on how to prevent crime by planning and designing cities different, rather than 'policing'

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Discuss how societal inequities are highlighted and perpetuated by the impact of the Coronavirus.

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My favourite visual and also written explanation (scroll down to "In the NEWS" section) on the difference between equality and equity.

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Illustrating Equality VS Equity - Interaction Institute for Social Change

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ATTENTION FRIENDS! Can you use the equality vs equity illustration in your book/video/presentation/etc? Yes! You do not need written permission to reproduce the work. Read below for information on the license under which the illustrations are released. IISC has long believed that this image, illustr…

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A video explaining temporary modular housing

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Temporary Modular Housing: How it Works and Who it Helps.

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Not everybody welcomes modular housing in their neighbourhood...what do you think?

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Housing crisis — are modular homes the solution?

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Ignored & Ignited: Many Canadians struggling to find affordable homes

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The official provincial website on various forms of affordable and social housing in BC.

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The Province is committed to making life more affordable for British Columbians and affordable housing in a key focus.

The Province, through BC Housing, works with partners to provide social housing. Social housing is a housing development that government subsidizes and that either government or a non-profit housing partner owns and/or operates.

The Province of B.C. is committed to working towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples with respect to social and affordable housing needs.

The provincial government works in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to address Indigenous housing needs and to develop housing by, and for, Indigenous individuals and communities.

The provincial government provides rental assistance for low-income working families with children and low-income seniors.

BC Housing is a crown corporation. It reports to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The Province is committed to addressing the housing and support needs for people who are homeless.

Making sure there's enough affordable housing in B.C. is a joint responsibility across all levels of government. Here's an overview of what the different levels of government do with respect to housing.

Class 3, Supportive Housing provides property tax relief for non-profit societies who provide supportive housing in B.C. Properties designated under the supportive housing property class are assessed at $2 resulting in property taxes being reduced to a nominal amount.

These terms are commonly used to discuss different types of housing and housing affordability options.

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The Province is committed to making life more affordable for British Columbians and affordable housing in a key focus. The Province, through BC Housing, works with partners to provide social housing. Social housing is a housing development that government subsidizes and that either government or a non-profit housing partner owns and/or operates.

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Squatting this empty building about 20 years ago (see video below) resulted in a social & affordable housing development. Note: the subsidized social housing units are segregated from the rest of the building. Article: https://thetyee.ca/News/2015/02/25/Woodwards-Social-Housing/