Course:GEOG350/2024/Segregation and Environmental Injustice in Vancouver

Introduction

The history and origin of Vancouver holds many key stories that have led to the development of the city and its surrounding area as a whole. With the development of new areas comes the ability to assign specific identities and expectations for those living in certain areas. These identities are formed by specific indicators such as socioeconomic status and the development of areas can naturally assign identities based on these indicators that force people to segregate to wherever they align. Socioeconomic status is defined as the status of an individual based on their income, education gained, and occupational status. Socioeconomic status, in this context, focuses on the overall resources available to an individual. This includes income and the ability and extent to which they are able to obtain income . In the case of socioeconomic standing, this is known as “income segregation” and is very common within any developing city . Vancouver is no exception to this and showcases this concept of resource/income segregation through the isolation of those with higher socioeconomic status to areas differing from those of lower socioeconomic status. In Vancouver, the segregation of the wealthy to areas with more land and land value such as West Vancouver creates a noticeable boundary from those living in lower-income areas. Areas like East Vancouver have slowly transitioned into areas that are primarily known to house those with lower socioeconomic status due to the cheaper housing costs and lower land value. With that, the development of land within these wealthier areas has led to an association of them being more “environmentally friendly” because of the creation and protection of parks and less overall usage of land due to bigger housing lot sizes, which helps drive land value and continues to fuel this income segregation. Higher-income and available resources allow for the development and protection of land necessary for the protection of specific animal habitats as well as a priority to enact certain projects to help create a more environmentally friendly neighbourhood . Lower income housing results in higher-density housing, typically built on smaller plots of land to maximize land usage for lower cost. Because of this, the land and resources necessary to enact more environmentally friendly projects in lower-income areas are mostly unavailable. In urban planning, pushing projects to help address the vulnerability of those with lower socioeconomic status and uneven resource distribution can help address these problems. Covering this section will help identify where this income disparity originated, the reason behind the income segregation to specific areas, and the role income has on environmental justice.

Overview of Issue

Land Availability and Resources

Percentage of people in poverty based on LIM-AT for Vancouver 2021

The creation of safe spaces and the idea that people can identify with specific areas has been a topic commonly discussed in urban planning . In terms of segregation, uneven resource distribution, and environmental injustice, having people identify with specific areas in Vancouver is massively influenced by income disparity. This is mainly caused to due land placement and its closeness to amenities, privacy, and other resources available that make their daily ways of living better. In context to Vancouver, living in West Vancouver is considerably more appealing due to the closeness to the mountains, great view, and larger lot sizes for development, which in turn relates to large lower-density housing that provides privacy. The proximity to nature in addition to the still decent distance from downtown and important amenities make West Vancouver an ideal location for those with high socioeconomic standing. However, because of this association, West Vancouver was ranked second for income inequality within Canada . Areas like East Vancouver, however, attract people due to their affordability. Cheaper and smaller housing that contains multiple units on a smaller piece of land allows for more households to fit on a single plot of land for a lower price. Additionally, areas with a higher density of people may have issues with basic necessities such as waste management, which can massively impact health and the environment. However, due to its poor location and lack of open land, areas like East Vancouver and specifically the downtown east side are more susceptible to changes in the climate.

Governance

Having people of similar socioeconomic status move to areas they identify with most can lead to the segregation of differing people based on differing opinions and priorities. One area that this is greatly affected is environmental justice and the importance of addressing environmental issues. Areas with more resources and land are perceived to be more environmentally friendly to begin with, which can make the need for addressing environmental issues lower than areas with fewer resources. Additionally, local governments that determine the need for environmental justice are able to push those projects easily due to the availability of resources . Because of these factors, areas with higher income are less susceptible to being impacted by environmental challenges as they have more access to resources to prevent and stop those issues from happening . However, in contrast, areas with those of lower economic status may not be able to prioritize environmental justice due to a lack of resources and the need to address more pressing matters . Projects aimed to protect the environment may not be achievable due to current needs so choosing projects in urban planning that account for lower resources but higher impact, in addition to projects that have multi-use impacts, can help.

Scope and Locality

In Vancouver, we see issues like this in areas like West Vancouver and East Vancouver. West Vancouver is known for housing individuals with higher incomes, highlighted by the development of luxury properties on bigger plots of land that have views of the ocean. East Vancouver, on the contrary, is known primarily for its lack of modern development, low-income housing units, and the vast socioeconomic issues its residents face. These issues make areas like East Vancouver incredibly vulnerable to many environmental challenges, which is why addressing this disparity is important. Issues like this do not just exist within Vancouver, however. These issues exist all around the world. For example, New York has suffered from these issues for a long time. New York has places like Manhattan where the rich tend to segregate to because of the larger properties and modern development while areas like the Bronx are known to house people of low income due to its smaller property size and lack of development. The Bronx is known to be an area that has faced “disproportionate negative impacts from environmental pollution” , highlighting the consequences of economic disparity and the susceptibility to climate change for low socioeconomic households. A lack of access to green spaces and parks continues to lower land value within this area while also increasing the susceptibility to the impacts of heat due to the lack of tree cover provided by these green spaces . Additionally, these issues have existed for a long time. In the case of New York, the Bronx has historically been impacted by this injustice due to segregation based on socioeconomic standing and personal identities . In Canada and the US, issues with colonialism and white supremacy continue to fuel environmental injustice through environmental governance against communities including people of colour .This issue is not just local to Vancouver, nor can it be fixed easily. It exists historically and globally, which is why starting to address it locally can help find a better course of action for other areas around the world. Additionally, solving this issue will take time. The encouragement for projects that benefit those of low economic standing while benefitting the environment is a good place to start, however, the history of injustice and segregation is a much larger issue that must be addressed before the problem is addressed in its entirety.  In the context of developing the urban world, having individuals specifically choose to segregate to specific areas will continue to fuel resource disparity and foster a growing battle for addressing environmental challenges, which is why the importance of developing a world that discourages segregation is key.

Case Study in Vancouver

Impact

In Vancouver, income disparity and development are what fuel segregation and make specific people more vulnerable to environmental challenges. Income disparity results in specific developmental patterns that favour wealthier neighbourhoods which intensify the segregation . In order to address that, urban planning can be a very useful tool. To start, addressing what makes specific areas like Vancouver's downtown eastside more susceptible to climate change and injustice is a big part. Higher population densities amplify the consequences of environmental changes, however, changing population density does not always solve the problem nor is it always feasible. In the downtown Eastside, hundreds of homeless people reside in the streets in very close proximity to others due to a lack of affordable housing, issues with employment, and other social issues. In the City of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Plan, the City cited a 23% homeless population increase in the Eastside in 2019 . An increase in homelessness means an increase in individuals that are more susceptible to changing climate. The lack of housing and shelter can affect homeless individuals through them having to face issues like direct heat which can cause impacts to their health, but also through displacement due to aspects like flooding. Not having resources to protect from extreme weather nor the resources to simply move to a safer location puts these individuals at great risk. Areas like West Vancouver are less susceptible to these consequences as individuals with higher socioeconomic status have the shelter and other resources to prevent them from having to face extreme climate directly. They also have access to more resources to help them with relocation in the event of flooding. Additionally, local governments for areas like West Vancouver have the resources available to help prevent climate issues from occurring and impacting their residents .

Issues

Those residing in Vancouver’s downtown Eastside are more likely to be impacted by extreme temperature changes and weather changes due to poor shelter caused by a lack of development and resources . Extreme heat and extreme cold can affect an individual without proper shelter causing heat stroke, which has many other severe health consequences, or hypothermia. With these extreme weather changes, individuals suffering from substance use issues, mental issues, or other chronic health issues are disproportionately affected when they are also facing homelessness as there are significantly more consequences from exposure to extreme changes than those who are considered healthy . In West Vancouver, tree canopies are more common and are frequently being developed and protected to help deal with the impacts of heat. Lower concrete temperatures make it easier for people to walk around and reside in their usual places outside . These tree canopies also exist with the development of parks to help increase green space for ecosystems, mitigate temperature fluctuations, and boost land value.

Other issues such as flooding can greatly displace those in areas known for having less income. With little to no shelter, individuals displaced by flooding have no access to their belongings and usually not enough resources to repurchase, rebuild, or fully relocate to safer locations. This can cause individuals to feel less inclined to move away, putting them at greater risk for a greater demise due to the weather changes. West Vancouver, however, has the resources and ability to prevent and protect their residents from suffering from displacement due to flooding. West Vancouver has watercourse development bylaws in place to help protect important ecosystems and relocate flooding waters to help prevent the need for relocation and displacement . Areas like the downtown Eastside do not have the resources to enact the same preventative measures, causing their residents to be more susceptible to climate change. With these developmental bylaws and plans, the land value of West Vancouver will only continue to increase and be protected, therefore fueling the income disparity between other areas like East Vancouver.

These issues face the population of Vancouver both directly as the ongoing income disparity also fuels developmental patterns that typically favor those with higher income, leading to increased segregation . Additionally, a lack of land available for development and less land with potential due to property restrictions such as that in East Vancouver will continue to lead developers away from helping those areas. East Vancouver also has a higher population density, which leads to more individuals being affected by potential environmental changes. Indirectly, all areas of Vancouver may be affected by this segregation. The same impacts may be placed on them as well, which can further emphasize the issue and lead to more drastic changes to be made to fully address the problem.

Solutions

One of the biggest ways to help address this problem through the use of urban planning is choosing projects that help develop areas like East Vancouver that also serve multi-use functions to help protect those that are the most vulnerable to climate change. For example, the City of Vancouver plans to create more low-income and easily accessible social housing within East Vancouver to help address the problem of shelters and stability (Whitehead). The City of Vancouver plans to create 170 social housing units to add to its already existing 640 units to help get individuals off the streets and into secure shelters (Whitehead). Helping with the housing crisis will give individuals the space and stability necessary to then address other issues they may be facing like unemployment and substance abuse. Additionally, projects like this create jobs for people in areas like East Vancouver, providing individuals with more employment opportunities . Additionally, the City of Vancouver is aiming to increase green space and public outdoor space for individuals near the downtown Eastside to help regulate temperature fluctuations but to also give individuals the space to relax and improve their quality of life . To address extreme heat temperatures and its impact on the health of those in the downtown Eastside, tree canopies are a great solution currently being discussed by urban planners to solve the issue. Tree canopies offer shade for those who are living outside and also lower concrete temperatures to help make it easier for those walking around without shelter .

Pushing projects and continuing to plan projects around addressing the disparity faced by those living in the downtown Eastside will continue to help address the issue of environmental injustice and, by proxy, the issues with uneven resource distribution and segregation. Choosing to develop areas with lower socioeconomic standing may seem risky due to the lack of initial financial reward, however, providing housing and better urban planning to address the issues faced by the individuals living in these areas will help fuel further socioeconomic development and stability . This stability and continued investment into low-income areas will help create a vast change in socioeconomic segregation, and a decrease in economic disparity, and create resources for those most susceptible to climate change and environmental challenges. Additionally, addressing these issues within smaller areas such as the downtown Eastside will have overflowing positive impacts on the rest of Metro Vancouver, fueling an overall positive growth in development and allowing the city to move forward.

Lesson Learned

In terms of what was learned in other urban planning concepts, the projects chosen and talked about should be multi-use. All urban projects impact those beyond who the project is initially intended, so ensuring research is done into the impacts of those around the project is necessary as well. Additionally, projects should be intended to be multi-use to benefit everyone regardless of socioeconomic status. Simple solutions such as tree canopies can offer big impacts on the health of those suffering from homelessness and investing in low-income social housing can provide the opportunity for people to grow. Urban planning and development can help develop all classes, so ensuring those projects are pushed is important. For addressing segregation, understanding historical and cultural contexts for those who have been disproportionately impacted by issues is the key to helping fuel urban developments that act as safe spaces for everyone. Helping bridge the gap between segregated individuals through projects aimed to help increase socioeconomic status and other factors causing segregation will play a big part in decreasing segregation. Addressing those in need first and those disproportionately affected by climate change is another big emphasis as they are affected more than anyone. Additionally, by addressing environmental inequality and providing opportunities to those who need it, uneven resource distribution and segregation can also be addressed. These projects will not only fuel the development of individuals the project is directly intended for, but they will help fuel the lives of those in surrounding areas as well. By addressing the issues of environmental injustice, the overall quality of life can increase for everyone and the adaptation and prevention of climate change can be achieved equitably.

These issues are not just local to Vancouver and have not just existed now. However, by addressing these issues within a localized area, information can then be gathered and modified to help with larger areas. Deeper historical issues may not still be addressed directly, however, the impacts of colonialism and social bias based on socioeconomic status and race may be diminished and will help decrease the social segregation faced by individuals that society may deem as less. Ultimately, fostering an environment with social parity is something that can be achieved through urban planning and the development of safe spaces. Through this, economic and environmental stability can also be achieved, allowing for Vancouver and other affected areas to become more equitable and resilient for its residents.

References

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