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Originally written by Landon Hoyt for Business In Vancouver on Sep 24, 2024 As Gastown and Chinatown receive local and provincial funding, a deliberate lack of investment in Vancouver’s DTES neighbourhood has enabled a downward spiral of economic disinvestment and decline. The Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver is often depicted as a neighbourhood full of despair, consumed by drug use, crime and poverty. However, these challenges are symptoms rather than the root cause of the area’s economic decline. This community is home to many local businesses and social enterprises that are struggling to make ends meet. The real issue of that struggle: Chronic and conscious neglect by government, law enforcement and society as a whole. I’ve worked in community economic development in the

The City of Vancouver approved a DTES Matching Grant for HxBIA to launch the Hastings Crossing Placemaking Initiative, and we are looking for HxBIA businesses and properties who want to beautify and animate their space, as well as artists, muralists, and community organizations who want to showcase their work!  Hastings Crossing BIA is unique in that it occupies a large portion of the DTES and is a literal and metaphorical crossroads of the city. Hastings Street can be a vibrant, active street and its many crossroads provide thoroughfares for pedestrians traveling to and from Gastown and Chinatown. We recognize the need for a more strategic approach to placemaking in HxBIA, and have designed our goals for this project specifically to be strategic and

Update:  June 17, 2024 **This program has now expired. Just because free parking has ended doesn’t mean the adventures in HXBIA must stop. Don’t forget there are over 3,000 parking spots still available throughout the neighbourhood! Keep your eyes peeled for some exciting updates! We appreciate you supporting HxBIA local businesses, and invite you to continue to do so!** Thanks to the over 700 Hastings Crossing BIA business, we are able to offer up to 3-hours of free parking, once a week, for a limited time! Here’s how it works: Park at EasyPark Lot 126 located at 151 W Cordova Street. (This promo will ONLY work at this lot) Go to bit.ly/hxbiafreeparking to redeem your free parking pass. Enter your license plate number

After consulting with the business community and the BC Chamber of Commerce, the Province is making changes to the Securing Small Business Rebate Program.  Recognizing the increased costs to businesses due to property crime and vandalism in rural and urban communities across the province, the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation launched this $10.5 million Securing Small Business Rebate Program, which has helped to provide small businesses with funds for eligible commercial property crime and vandalism repairs, or to implement eligible preventative measures. With limited uptake due to application barriers and requirements, the Province has made changes, which include: Removing the requirement to provide an insurance claim when applying for funding through the reparative stream of the program. Applicants

Vancouver Cocktail Week (VCW) returns March 3 – 10, 2024, and we are excited to toast the local spots who will be mixing up some creative cocktails this year. Along with neighbourhood cocktail crawls, Cinq à Sept Happy Hours, and exclusive seminars, you will be sure to find that perfect cocktail-centric evening during this year’s festival. The annual event is presented by The Alchemist, and you can find the full details at vancocktailweek.com. Read on for more details on events happening in HxBIA and Gastown! Cinq à Sept Happy Hours Happy hours between March 3 and 10 across the city will feature VCW signature cocktails, snacks, and entertainment. Happening nightly from 5-7pm. Cantina 189 (324 W Hastings Street) will be