Through their struggle and adversity, the residents of Chinatown came out stronger than ever.

With groups such as the Chinese Benevolent Association, the Chinatown Concern Group and the Chinatown Action Group, many Chinese took on the initiative and responsibility to ensure that the integrity of the community is maintained, and that these interests are brought to the attention of municipal, provincial and federal governments. Local businesses continued to thrive and serve the community as best as they could. Very quickly, Vancouver's Chinatown became the largest Chinatown in Canada - a symbol of its vitality and strength despite all the struggles it faced.

But despite their victories, Chinatown still faced many changes and struggles in recent times.

Murray Bush. (2017). "Chinatown: Up Against City Hall." Vancouver Media Co-op.

Jenelle Schneider. (2014). "Vancouver’s Chinatown is undergoing many changes as gentrification and construction of new buildings encroach on the historical businesses of the neighbourhood." The Vancouver Sun.

Brandy Waterfall Photo. (2012). "Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie." Neon Restaurants: From Racism to Diversity in Chinatown, The Museum of Vancouver online.

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Chinatown has changed significantly over the years, with many of its old heritage buildings being knocked down and replaced with new, more modern looking buildings.

Andrew Querner. (2017). "Vancouver’s Future Hinges on the Fight to Save Chinatown." Vancouver Magazine.

Gerry Kahrmann. (2017). "The New Town bakery sits beside a vacant lot at the 100-block of East Pender in Chinatown." The Vancouver Sun.

Significance in political life

Migration out of Chinatown

 Once the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, it allowed for more Chinese to move to Canada. But it wasn't until 1962 when the criterion of "country of origin" was fully removed, allowing for members of other countries to immigrate to Canada.

In 1967, the introduction of a "points" system increased immigration exponentially, as the system now was based more on education and skill level rather than sponsorship. Many immigrants came from Hong Kong and settled in Chinatown. However, there were many that chose to by houses in Vancouver's west-side neighbourhoods or nearby suburbs such as Richmond, which today is home to a predominantly Chinese population. These immigrants, having better education and skill, were considered middle to upper class, and had better opportunities to buy homes and find work elsewhere.

"Chinese New Year Cultural Spectacle - Feb 10 & 11." (2013). Aberdeen Centre.

Alongside this shift away from Chinatown, those living in Chinatown - the original pioneers and subsequent generations of those families - also began to move away. This greatly changed the population of Chinatown.

Re-kindling the race argument

Racial tensions towards the Chinese rose again with the rising prices to rent and buy property in Vancouver. In the 2010s, the rise of foreign investment, particularly from Chinese, has led to a spike in prices for apartments, condos, and family homes, as well as commercial property. This is not only happening in Vancouver proper: it is also spreading into the suburbs. This has left Vancouverites in despair, as the rising house prices makes it virtually impossible for ordinary citizens to purchase or even rent.

​Vancouverites called on the government to help put an end to this, resulting in the implementation of a 15% surtax on foreign homebuyers in Vancouver in 2016. There has been little change in the price of housing.
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This has greatly impacted the view of Chinese, resulting in many cases of anti-Chinese graffiti and flyers in Chinatown and Richmond.

Flyers were distributed to residents in Richmond's North Steveston neighbourhood. (2016). Photo retrieved by Huffington Post on Facebook.

Chinatown's gentrification crisis

Along with the rising price of housing, various parts of Vancouver have become the site of great socio-economic divide. Ongoing gentrification of the Downtown Eastside has resulted in long-time home and business owners being pushed out due to the fact that they no longer can afford to pay the rent. In addition, buildings have become neglected and poverty has struck the area in dangerously high levels, resulting in a patchwork of rich and poor. There are now niche and expensive restaurants and coffee hops in the places that used to be inhabited by family-run business.

Chinatown has become a place of contention for Vancouverites, as gentrification has impacted other social problems such as homelessness and drug addiction. The problem of gentrification was especially embodied in the case of the 105 Keefer Street development project. Where the developers saw it as an opportunity to modernize the area and bring new living spaces to residents of the area, the counterpoint asks which segment of the populaion would benefit. Advocates argued that the residents of Chinatown and othe low-income families surely woudln't be able to afford living in these new spaces.

An artists's rendering of the previous proposal for the development at 105 Keefer St., which was 12 storeys tall. (2017). CBC.