City calling for new research into unsanctioned street vending
Unsanctioned street vending is on the rise in Vancouver, causing the city to rethink its approach to the “survival economy.”
On Tuesday, the city issued a request for proposals to conduct a study on illegal street vending in the Downtown Eastside.
According to the RFP, street vending is expanding across the city, particularly near the Main Street and Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain stations, “without an adequate citywide policy.” The report is expected to examine the approaches taken by other North American municipalities and engage with stakeholders, including vendors and customers, to propose several policy recommendations by the end of the year.
It’s unclear if that could mean more street markets — a solution proposed Thursday by vendor Mark Desjarlais.
“I think the city should have three or four different markets like this where people can sell stuff,” he said by phone from the Downtown Eastside street market where he was selling sports jerseys. “There’s obviously a need for it.”
City of Vancouver community economic development planner Wes Regan said the city wants to develop a plan that “makes sense in the context of Vancouver.”
The report was welcomed by activist and community organizer Sarah Blythe, who has announced her intention to run as an independent candidate for city council. “When people are doing things like this to survive, it’s good to do it in an organized fashion,” she said.