Police were called to Burnaby City Hall Tuesday night after protesters disrupted a public hearing to discuss future development in the city, including the demolition of low-rise apartments to make way for high-rise condos.
During the meeting, protesters held signs and sang Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up.”
Mayor Derek Corrigan called a recess and left the meeting.
Protesters say they’re fed up with the evictions and the city’s lack of affordable housing.
WATCH: Mayor Derek Corrigan addresses disruption at Tuesday night’s council meeting
An area just south of the Metrotown SkyTrain station has numerous three-storey, mostly affordable rental apartment buildings that are set to be replaced by a 30-storey highrise that would be mostly condos, with a small number of rental units most locals cannot afford.
Earlier this month, council voted unanimously gave the go-ahead for the development.
The area has become a hot zone for redevelopment, and a coalition of three groups–The Alliance Against Displacement, Metrotown Residents’ Association and ACORN–is fighting the city.
Tuesday’s public hearing eventually resumed but protesters vowing to return.
-With files from Catherine Urquhart and John Daly
Comments