Council approves 311 system to improve service to citizens

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New decision on operational costs will mean savings for taxpayers

Mayor Sam Sullivan today congratulated Council for moving forward on the implementation of a 311 system and consolidated citizen service centre for Vancouver.

311 will provide a single phone number for non-emergency municipal services and information, and will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in multiple languages. The system is also expected to result in more streamlined operations and potential cost savings for the City.

Project Civil City tackles crime, public disorder and social issues in Vancouver

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In an effort to tackle Vancouver’s crime and social issues, Mayor Sam Sullivan and Councillor Kim Capri today unveiled Project Civil City which is aimed at eliminating homelessness, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market, with a minimum 50 per cent reduction by 2010.

The comprehensive proposal was developed, in part, through: a series of roundtable discussions with more than 75 local community and business stakeholders; consultations with local service providers, the police, the local health authority as well as representatives from senior levels of government; and feedback from 2,469 Vancouverites through an online survey posted on the Mayor’s website.

Project Civil City: Letter from Mayor Sullivan

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Dear Citizens of Vancouver,

As your Mayor, I am pleased to present you with a framework for action to address the issue of public disorder in the City of Vancouver. I am bringing forward a proposal to City Council which sets out ambitious targets, describes our most pressing challenges, and introduces a number of potential solutions.

Project Civil City document (PDF) Click to open

This initiative, entitled Project Civil City, was produced in partnership with Councillor Kim Capri, a trained criminologist with 20 years of experience and formerly Executive Director of the BC Crime Prevention Association, whom I have asked to take a lead role in Council on this major public policy issue.

Project Civil City, along with policy initiatives our Council is undertaking in the areas of economic development and the arts, is vital to the successful implementation of EcoDensity in the City of Vancouver. We want our citizens to choose to live in high-quality, ecodense neighbourhoods. This requires a commitment to minimize public nuisances and improve public order and community safety.

Put housing on the ballot in 2008

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Sullivan proposes new regional solutions to GVRD Mayors

Mayor Sam Sullivan is calling on Mayors in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) to put the issue of municipal funding for social housing on the ballot in the next civic election in 2008.

“If we are going to find long-term solutions to the housing crisis facing our region, it is clear we need to support a sustainable plan that will provide new funding for us to partner with the Province,” said Mayor Sullivan. “By putting a housing question on the ballot, we will give every citizen and business owner in the GVRD a chance to voice their support for our most vulnerable living throughout the region.

“Mayor Sullivan also highlighted several components of a motion that will be brought forward by Councillor Kim Capri at the next GVRD Housing Committee meeting. This includes the establishment of a new Provincial/Municipal Social Housing Protocol. This Protocol will serve to clarify what role, given the limited tax base of cities, municipalities can play to facilitate the development of social housing within their communities.

Mayor urges Vancouver residents and businesses to adhere to boil water advisory

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Mayor Sam Sullivan today reminded residents and businesses that the boil-water advisory is still in effect for Vancouver, and will remain in effect until Vancouver Coastal Health and the Greater Vancouver Regional District deem the water to be safe again.

“The fact that our residents and businesses have to either buy bottled water or boil water is very unfortunate,” said Mayor Sullivan. “We realize this is causing inconvenience and hardship, especially for some businesses, and we hope the water advisory can be lifted soon. Meanwhile, we hope people who are buying bottled water will consider the needs of other citizens. There have been media reports of some shoppers hoarding water and not leaving enough supply for others.”

Immediate action needed to address public disorder: Mayor’s survey

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Mayor Sam Sullivan today released the results of an informal web poll which reveals that Vancouverites are seeking immediate action to reverse the trend of increasing public disorder on the streets of the City.

The Mayor’s survey, which was posted from September 22 through November 1, 2006, at www.samsullivan.ca, drew a total of 2,469 responses. Of those, 1,909 citizens took time to provide detailed comments and ideas to combat disorderly conduct such as aggressive panhandling, open drug use, littering, and noise infractions.

“The people of Vancouver have spoken clearly: they feel that our City has a serious public disorder problem and that action must be taken,” Mayor Sullivan said. “This web survey and a series of community roundtable meetings I have conducted over the past six months have strengthened my resolve to find long-term, sustainable solutions that will restore order and civility on our streets.”

Council moves forward on actions to combat homelessness

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Mayor hosts roundtable meeting with service providers

Mayor Sam Sullivan has commended yesterday’s decision of City Council to proceed with immediate actions to encourage new social housing development, increase the number of emergency shelter beds for the homeless in Vancouver, and invest in the creation of 44 new social housing units in the former Pennsylvania Hotel in the Downtown Eastside.

The Mayor shared information about the new actions with a group of 20 community organizations and service providers who took part in a roundtable meeting on homelessness in the Mayor’s Office this morning. The group discussed ways in which the City, Regional, Provincial and Federal governments can work collaboratively with community groups and agencies in the inner city to provide emergency shelter and services.

Mayor Sullivan bets on BC Lions to win Grey Cup

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Challenges Mayor of Montreal to friendly competition

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan today issued a friendly challenge to Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay in anticipation of the showdown between the BC Lions and the Montreal Alouettes in the 2006 Grey Cup Championship on Sunday, November 19.

“We have agreed that the Mayor of the unsuccessful team must wear the winning team’s jersey at his next City Council meeting,” Mayor Sullivan said. “I’m quite confident that it will be Mayor Tremblay who will be wearing a BC Lions jersey at Montreal City Hall after next Sunday’s game.”