Vancouver - Mayor Kennedy Stewart today issued the following statment on the City of Vancouver reaching a settlement to expropriate the Balmoral and Regent hotels:

“Bringing the Regent and Balmoral into public ownership marks a hopeful new beginning for residents of the Downtown Eastside and something all Vancouver residents should be proud.

“Downtown Eastside residents will be at the centre of creating a new vision for these two sites. I want to thank City Council, the Government of B.C., and BC Housing for continuing to work together with the community to provide housing that is healthy, safe, and supportive — housing that heals lives and changes futures.

“However, This is just the beginning of a long road. We’re going to need all the help we can get to transform these buildings from monuments of suffering and pain into symbols of hope, justice, and reconciliation. In addition to our incredible partnership with the Provincial Government, I will be looking to the Federal Government to help us move forward using an all-government approach.

“All of us owe this community nothing less than our full energy and commitment.”