Vancouver’s housing crisis reveals an unsettling juxtaposition:
empty luxury condos towering over the city while people sleep on church steps, in parks, or under overpasses.
These vacancies, often never lived in, symbolize a market catering to global wealth rather than local needs.
Yet, amidst this glaring inequality, the city issues warnings against sleeping outdoors, criminalizing survival for the unhoused.
At the same time, massive sums are spent on entertainment, from Taylor Swift concerts to hockey games—a stark reflection of misplaced priorities.
The Empty Condo Problem
Vancouver's skyline is a symbol of uninhabited wealth. Despite initiatives like the Empty Homes Tax, thousands of condos remain vacant, held as investments rather than homes.
In 2021, over 7,440 properties were classified as empty, with a slight reduction in vacancies since the tax’s implementation.
While the city touts these figures as progress, the reality is that these spaces could house every homeless person in Vancouver many times over.
The Hypocrisy of Anti-Homeless Policies
The city’s crackdown on outdoor sleeping reveals a failure to address homelessness. With shelters often full and social housing unavailable, many have no choice but to seek refuge in public spaces. Instead of empathy, they face fines, evictions, and confiscation of their belongings. This approach doesn’t solve homelessness—it simply hides it.
Meanwhile, Stadiums Are Full
While thousands struggle to find shelter, others spend hundreds—if not thousands—on concert tickets or sports games.
A ticket to see Taylor Swift, for instance, can cost over $1,000, while a Canucks game averages upwards of $100 per seat.
These luxuries highlight the vast disparities in disposable income and, perhaps more disturbingly, societal indifference to pressing social issues.
What Could Be Done With That Money?
Imagine if even a fraction of the money spent on entertainment was redirected to housing solutions:
Supportive Housing: Modular homes can be built for as little as $75,000 per unit, providing immediate relief for unhoused individuals.
Affordable Rentals: Revenues from taxes on luxury goods or events could subsidize affordable housing projects.
Wraparound Services: Investments in mental health, addiction recovery, and employment programs would help address the root causes of homelessness.
A Moral Call to Action
The contrast between empty homes and outdoor sleepers is more than an economic issue; it’s a moral crisis. Housing must be treated as a human right, not a commodity. Local governments, community leaders, and individuals need to shift priorities and push for systemic changes.
Your Role
What can you do? Start conversations, support grassroots housing initiatives, and hold elected officials accountable. Advocate for stronger housing policies and question a culture that values profit over people.
Vancouver has the resources and capacity to end homelessness. The question is whether we have the collective will to demand it.
