Profile

Jean Swanson: Why I'm hoping COPE will nominate me to seek reelection to Vancouver city council

She feels there's still a lot of work to do to address the city's most pressing problems.

Jean Swanson: Time for Vancouver to use local powers to protect SROs for low-income residents

About 4,000 people live in these buildings, which are mostly in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Jean Swanson: City council to vote on motion urging federal exemption so Vancouver can offer safe drugs, reduce deaths

A Vancouver city councillor is thinking of the six precious humans who died each and every day during the last month for which overdose deaths were tracked.

Jean Swanson: HandyDART users oppose proposed application procedures sure to reduce ridership

A Vancouver councillor worries that transit users don't have nearly enough input into how TransLink is operated.

Jean Swanson: Why I voted to allow nonprofits to build 12-storey buildings

Vancouver's only Coalition of Progressive Electors councillor explains her vote in the face of opposition from more than 100 speakers.

Jean Swanson: My three-point plan to tackle homelessness that creates six big winners

A Vancouver city councillor explains why she's not impressed by a city and provincial plan to build 450 housing units for the poor.

Jean Swanson: House people who are homeless in hotels now

A Vancouver city councillor points out that you can’t self-isolate if you live in a shelter with dozens of other folks on mats beside you.

Jean Swanson: Close-up look at who runs Vancouver City Hall

An email from a landlords' group in the midst of a council meeting caused politicians to reverse their position on capping rent increases for building owners who receive public...

Jean Swanson: Let's protect SRO residents from eviction to prevent homelessness

Landlords know that they can jack up rents as much as they like when they can get a tenant to leave so there is a profit motive for evictions, and the chance of homelessness...

Jean Swanson: People’s Summit looks to identify causes, find solutions to city’s housing emergency

The situation is so desperate that tenants don’t know where else to turn, according to the only COPE member on council.