Downtown Vancouver business owner says rampant open drug use is everywhere
Kurtis Lemon said that his primary focus is to make his business successful and he thinks the street disorder is preventing that from happening.
A Vancouver flower shop owner has expressed concern over rampant, open drug use plaguing the downtown area. Kurtis Lemon, the owner of D&D Flowers, located at 531 Richards St, claims the nearby Hotel Canada low-barrier shelter has become a hotspot for drug-related issues. Lemon stated that the shelter is a source of ongoing problems with customers being deterred by the continuous drug use and theft that occurs throughout the day and night.
The flower shop owner, who has personal experience with drug addiction, expressed frustration over the lack of action from authorities. Despite Lemon's attempts to draw attention to the issue over the past two months, he claims that any improvements were short-lived, lasting only about a week before reverting to the status quo.
Lemon noted that the situation is unsustainable for local governments, who must step in to address complex issues on their own. One of the five actions being advocated by the Save Our Streets group is the establishment of standards to prevent low-barrier services from negatively impacting neighborhoods. Lemon expressed hope that the current situation can be improved with concerted efforts to keep the streets clean and maintain appropriate behavior.
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