Community organizations in Vancouver's historic Chinatown are raising the alarm over proposed cuts to the City of Vancouver's budget, fearing a significant setback for the neighbourhood's hard-won progress. For years, small but crucial city grants have been instrumental in bolstering cultural spaces, creating housing for low-income seniors, and supporting legacy businesses.
Critical Funding Under Threat
Jeffrey Wong, director at the Wongs' Benevolent Association, expressed deep concern about the potential slashing of budgets. "They're slashing the budget, but they don't know what they're cutting and we just want to trigger them to rethink a little bit," said Wong. He emphasized that funding over the past few years has been vital for groups like his to make tangible progress in revitalizing the historic, yet struggling, district.
Wong confirmed that this city support, combined with a generational shift within long-standing associations, has empowered younger members to repair aging buildings and invest in new community programs. The grants have dramatically improved the neighbourhood, transforming its physical and social landscape.
Tangible Impacts of City Grants
The positive effects of this funding are visible in concrete projects. For instance, money from city grants allowed the Wongs' Association to complete essential fire safety upgrades in a building it has owned since the 1950s, which was originally constructed in 1911.
In another success story, city funding and staff support helped the owner of Modernize Tailors, a legacy business, navigate the process to secure an occupancy permit. This assistance led to a reimagined, self-sustaining venture that now consistently pays rent. According to Wilco Van Bemmel of Dunefield Consulting, this model is key: small amounts of city funding enable small businesses to thrive and generate lease income for the non-profit societies that own the buildings.
Volunteer-Driven Progress Needs Support
Van Bemmel, who has worked with the Wongs' Association and the Kong Chow Society—whose Pender Street building houses the revamped Kam Wai Dim Sum—stressed the unique context of Chinatown. "The unique setting of Chinatown is that the stewardship is in the community's hands and they are all volunteers," he said.
He noted that these volunteers dedicate their own time and sweat equity, making modest city funding essential to leverage their efforts. "It's some wind in the sails," Van Bemmel added, highlighting how strategic funding multiplies the impact of community volunteerism.
Wong pointed out that some associations have made "drastic improvements" to buildings that were once near condemnation, thanks to city support. He warned that pulling this secure funding now poses a significant risk, making it difficult for associations to uphold initiatives like helping legacy businesses with rent. The potential cuts threaten to stall a revitalization movement that has been gaining crucial momentum.
