Plagued by public safety concerns, Chinatown business owners plead for government help

“The level of chaos now is ten times worse than what it was in 2010," said Tracy To of the street disorder outside her legacy business.

Legacy business owners in Vancouver’s Chinatown who say street disorder is worse than ever voiced their public safety concerns at a special council meeting Thursday, as the city’s police chief called for the province to better respond to a host of social issues converging in the Downtown Eastside, Gastown and Chinatown.

For the last two decades, Tracy To has worked six days a week at her family-owned business in Chinatown.

Forum Home Appliances opened in 1988 on East Pender Street, where To and her siblings have witnessed the situation outside their doors slowly deteriorate.

“The level of chaos now is 10 times worse than what it was in 2010,” To told Global News on Friday.

To said she doesn’t typically feel unsafe in the historic neighbourhood and street disorder is not new but it is “worse than it ever was before.”

From being pepper sprayed and robbed of air conditioners one summer, to having female staff members physically attacked while walking to or waiting at bus stops, arriving at work to mattress and garbage fires set around the building or the “non-stop graffiti, defecation, needles in doorways,” To said her family has seen it all.

The perception of danger is also very damaging to their business as longtime customers are afraid to visit Chinatown, she said.

“With all the Asian hate crimes and hypodermic needle stabbings, they don’t want to be the next victim,” To told city council at the April 28 meeting.