Downtown Eastside adviser given six-month contract extension by province

Downtown Eastside adviser Larry Campbell has been granted a six-month contract extension by the province.

The former Vancouver mayor and Canadian senator was appointed to find solutions to the crises in the neighbourhood last September.

"We are at a critical juncture on a number of initiatives," Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle said in a statement. "That's why I have asked Larry Campbell to continue this work and we will extend his contract for another six months. It is imperative that we carry through our collaborative discussions currently underway with our federal partners, the City of Vancouver and our many partners in the community."

Campbell said he was "heartened by the progress being made" and that he remains "committed to seeing this work through."

"With the collaborative work underway right now, both within the provincial government and with our partners, we have the opportunity to make fundamental, transformative changes," he added. "This work will set the Downtown Eastside on a brighter path and support a healthier, safer community."

Campbell has been focusing on tackling the mental illness and addiction crises, as well homelessness and the spread of toxic drugs. During a press conference earlier this year, he said organizations working in the area told him they "don't know where the money's going," and that the spending isn't resulting in tangible change.

"If I'm supplying funds to an organization and I’m government, that’s taxpayer's dollars and they need to know where’s going, how’s it being used, and the metrics of success," he explained at the time. "If it's successful, we need to help them with that. If it's not successful, we need to say, 'This isn’t working, and what are we going to do?'"

His contract is around $90,000 per six month period.