Downtown Eastside

The Downtown Eastside (DTES) is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and was known as "Canada's poorest postal code". According to the city of Vancouver, the Downtown Eastside contains the following neighbourhoods: Chinatown, Gastown, Oppenheimer Park (formerly Japantown), Thornton Park and Victory Square, as well as the light industrial area to the North. There are many conflicting definitions of its perimeter but it can generally be viewed as being bordered by Cambie Street to the west, Clark Drive to the east, the waterfront to the north and Venables Street/Prior Avenue to the south, with Hastings Street running down the middle of the neighbourhood.

The area is noted for a high incidence of poverty, drug use, sex trade, crime, violence, as well as a history of community activism. Hastings and Cordova Streets were once the core shopping district in the city, many of the retail shops that flourished until the early 1980s are now gone. The area was the victim of significant urban decay but presently buildings are being renewed and many new businesses are operating in the community. In recent years there have been tensions between developers and some members of the community relating to gentrification development proposals.