Inner-City Economic Opportunities

The inner city is the birthplace of Vancouver. Rich in history, architecture and cultural diversity, Vancouver’s inner-city neighborhoods have known both prosperity and economic decline. In recent years they have struggled with many of the complex challenges facing other low-income neighbourhoods in big cities, including drug addiction and trafficking, HIV infection, prostitution, crime, inadequate housing and high unemployment.

Today’s economic revitalization presents the opportunity to address these and other issues. As part of its Olympic sponsorship, Bell Canada contributed $2 million to support economic revitalization in Vancouver's inner city. Administered by the Vancouver Agreement, this funding was used, in part, to establish the Building Opportunities with Business Inner-City Society (BOB).

VANOC also has significant purchasing power that can be leveraged to create social, economic and environmental benefits in the inner city. Furthermore, VANOC’s head office in Vancouver continues to engage businesses based in the inner city, or employing inner-city residents, to provide goods and services. These include office supplies, beverage container recycling and janitorial services (see Economic Benefits).