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Conrad Schmidt’s 87-minute documentary film Five Ring Circus
claims that 2010 brings a new threat to equality and justice in the form of increased poverty, curtailed civil liberties, and higher taxes as 2010 costs soar
—the Georgia Straight

Conrad Schmidt, Work Less Party, was one of the speakers at the IOCC's forum: A Sustainable 2010 Olympics? held October 03, 2007 at SFU Harbour Centre.

Efforts to reduce downtown traffic congestion in Atlanta during the [1996] Olympic Games resulted in decreased traffic density, especially during the critical morning period. This was associated with a prolonged reduction in ozone pollution and significantly lower rates of childhood asthma events.
—Friedman MS, Powell KE, Hutwagner L, Graham LM, and Teague WG (2001). Impact of Changes in Transportation and Commuting Behaviors During the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta on Air Quality and Childhood Asthma.
Journal of the American Medical Association 285(7):897-905.

Vancouver’s Citywide Housing Coalition wants VANOC and government to build 3200 units of low income housing—event held at the Vancouver Art Gallery June 19, 2007.

IOCC News & Events

The Right to the City—Housing, Homelessness and
the 2010 Olympics

A free public forum hosted by the Impact on Communities Coalition

Date:	Monday, November 23rd
Time:	7:00 - 9:00pm
Place:	Fletcher Challenge Theater SFU Harbour Centre 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC. (map)
Admission:	Free

When the Olympic bid process was underway, the Inner City Inclusive Commitment was signed in 2003 and included commitments around a housing legacy and protection from Olympic related evictions. This panel will look at the impacts of the 2010 Olympics on housing and other urbanization processes underway in Vancouver including the crisis of affordability, the proliferation of homelessness and loopholes in tenancy legislation which are resulting in evictions.

Speakers:

Reverend Ric Matthews, First United Church
Christine Ackerman, West End Residents Association
Wendy Pederson, Carnegie Community Action Project
Nathan Edelson, Former Senior Planner, City of Vancouver
Martha Lewis, Tenants Resource Advisory Centre
Am Johal, Impact on Communities Coalition
David Dennis, United Native Nations
Monte Paulson, Investigative Editor, The Tyee
Moderated by Stefanie Ratjen, Board Member, IOCC

The Right to the City—Civil Liberties and the 2010 Olympics

The IOCC hosted a successful, public forum September 28th, 2009 at SFU Harbour Centre in Vancouver, B.C. Video and audio of the speakers and question period are available here.

Speakers:

David Eby, Executive Director, BCCLA
Matt Hern, Writer
Stefanie Ratjen, Board Member, IOCC
Harsha Walia, Social Activist
Alissa Westergard-Thorpe, Olympic Resistance Network
Jeff Derksen, SFU professor
Moderated by Am Johal, Chair, IOCC

As the 2010 Olympics approach, the possibility of civil liberties violations have been cited by a number of community organizations as a major concern despite assurances from VANOC, government partners and the Integrated Security Unit that rights would be protected.

With 16,500 security personnel scheduled to be part of the largest peacetime operation in Canadian history, impacts are already being felt.

Ticketing of residents in the inner-city, home and workplace visits of social activists by members of the Integrated Security Unit and a new bylaw passed by the City of Vancouver which places the rights of corporate sponsors ahead of the rights of citizens are only a few of the immediate impacts.

This discussion will take a critical view of the policies and framework that have been established and contextualize these processes as part of broader urban development schemes in the inner-city and methods of criminalizing dissent.

The Question of Housing, Human Rights and the 2010 Olympics

Vancouver Flying University hosted a well attend forum on the gentrification and economic distortion of Vancouver’s inner city in the lead up to the Olympics. The forum was held at Gallery Gachet November 5th, 2008.

Presenters took a critical view of displacement, private security expansion, changes in policing policies and the development of concepts and positions which limit the right to the city and the processes by which they have become normalized in the civic imagination.

Presenters:

Claire Mahon—Geneva-based principal author of Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega-Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights
Michael Byers—Professor of Global Politics and International Law, UBC
Mike Powar—UBC student, No Place Like Home
David Eby—housing advocate, Pivot Legal Society, IOCC Board member
Laura Track-housing advocate, Pivot Legal Society, IOCC Board member
Monte Paulson—investigative editor, The Tyee
Moderator: Am Johal—Vancouver Flying University, IOCC Board member

Forum Notes

Athletes Village groundbreaking signifies lost opportunity

“Council had a chance to show some foresight and leadership by creating a post-Games model of an inclusive community for the benefit of Vancouver’s future, but instead they fell back to old bottom line,” said Linda Mix, IOCC Chair.

At a March 7 public hearing, over 35 delegations spoke in favour of the inclusive income and housing mix. Vancouver’s NPA dominated Council ignored the delegations and voted to scale back on a one–third housing mix of low, moderate and higher income housing at the site of the Athletes Village, which will be converted to condominiums and 250 units of non-market housing after the 2010 Games.

“The 250 units of non-market housing is an Olympic legacy, but 40,000 households in Vancouver are in need of affordable housing,” Mix says. “Council has chosen to leave low income families, seniors and people with disabilities out in the cold.”

Key Media Coverage:

Date	Media Event
Mar 2006	IOCC interviewed on CKNW—Bill Good Show Vancouver 20/20 Project. Work Plan released/Southeast False Creek zoning. NPA won’t touch land bank—The Georgia Straight Ming Pao
Oct 2005	Vancouver Courier Message to Coleman: protect renters’ rights
Jul 2003	IOCC interviewed on: Global National (live National) CBC Newsworld (live National) CBC Radio (live) interview between Vancouver and Prague on announcement day, July 2. CBC TV
Jan-Feb 2003	CKNW—Bill Good Show CKNW—Rafe Mair Show CTV—Major Feature Coverage on six o’clock News CBC—Town Hall Special hosted by Rick Cluff and Kevin Sylvester of the Early Edition (IOCC featured as key questioners).
Feb-Nov 2002	Vancouver Courier Olympic bid ignoring potential impacts IOCC calls for Referendum. More than 15 other appearances in local print and radio media: Vancouver Courier The Georgia Straight CBC, CKNW.
Jan 2002	Vancouver Sun, Globe and Mail Official Public Launch (Web site launched). Major media outlets attend.

Landmark Events:

Date	Event
Mar-2006	The IOCC releases its 20/20 Project work plan at Ingredients for a Healthy City and the 2010 Olympics at UBC Robson Square on March 8. The work plan evolves out of four years of volunteer commitment by the IOCC to monitor and evaluate 2010 Games development from a community perspective. Input to the work plan also came from participants at the Healthy Communities/Healthy Olympics forum on January 27, 2006.
Jan-2006	The IOCC launches its 20/20 Project with the Healthy Communities/Healthy Olympics forum that attracted over 90 people from the private sector, community groups and NGOs, VANOC, governments, health care researchers and academics to the Wosk Centre for Dialogue on January 27.
Jul-2005	IOCC presents Torino report to Vancouver City Council and City Planning Commission.
May-2005	IOCC representatives participate in Vancouver fact finding mission to Torino.
May 2004- Dec 2005	Meetings between the Vancouver Organizing Committee Board (VANOC) and IOCC.
Mar 2004	Think 2010: An Olympics for All? A public forum on the inclusivity and sustainability of the Olympics for all regional citizens. Stuart Acuff of the Atlanta Labor Council; Marion Lay of the VOCOG; Larry Campbell, Mayor; Dennis Hayes of the Bullitt Foundation.
Dec 2003	The Vancouver District and Labour Council and the BC and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council join the IOCC.
Sep 2003	IOCC meets with Vancouver City Manager Judy Rogers to discuss involvement in working groups and states that the IOCC will be creating a Report Card.
Aug 2003	IOCC meets provincial Olympic designate Ken Dobell to discuss continued input by community groups.
Jul 2003	“Vancouver wins the right to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. IOCC fields nation-wide media requests on our reaction to winning the Bid. IOCC interviewed on Global National (live), CBC Newsworld (live from Toronto), and CBC Radio (live) in a back and forth between Vancouver and Prague on July 2.“
Apr 2003	IOCC meets with BC Premier and Solicitor General regarding tenancy legislation.
Mar 2003	IOCC meet exclusively with Bid Development and Environmental Sustainability staff to discuss environmental impacts and local procurement initiatives. IOCC meet with Jenny Kwan MLA regarding Inner City Commitment statement. Speak to YWCA Inner City process and statements.
Jan 2003	IOCC co-authors Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives cost-benefit analysis of the Olympic Games, Olympic Costs & Benefits: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Proposed Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Dec 2002	IOCC recommendations in the Bid Book guarantees section.
Oct 2002	“IOCC co-sponsored, with Community Directions, a two-day public forum on the impacts of the Olympics. Kris Olds and Michael Shapcott, both experts on the impacts of Olympic Games on Rental Housing, attend as keynote speakers. Bid partners release the Inner-City Inclusive Commitment Statement endorsed by the Vancouver Agreement Partners (Province, City of Vancouver, Federal Government and Bid Corp). The Statement was developed by the ICI Work Group and includes recommendations made by the IOCC.”
Aug 2002	IOCC meets with Chief Gibby Jacob of the Squamish First Nation. IOCC joins the Bid Corporation's Inner City Inclusive Working Group.
Jul 2002	“IOCC attend announcement of Vancouver being short listed as candidate city, at the same time the IOCC releases its recommendations to the Bid Corporation, Olympic partners and media.”
Jun 2002	“IOCC attends tri-lateral announcement of government funding for Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, makes repeated call for provincial referendum.”
May 2002	The IOCC hosts another public forum on the Olympics with Dr. Helen Jefferson Lenskyj as Keynote speaker at SFU Harbour Centre.
Apr 2002	“As a result of IOCC calls for an impact study, the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation partners, the City of Vancouver and the Province of BC agree to fund a community impact assessment. The Bid partners also strike a working group to investigate impacts and opportunities as they relate to the Winter Games and the inner-city. Members of Vancouver’s inner city, including members of the IOCC, are invited to sit on the Inner City Inclusive Work Group.”
Mar 2002	“IOCC hosts public forum at Vancouver Community College featuring Glenn Bailey, a community organizer from Salt Lake City. IOCC calls for a province wide referendum on the 2010 Winter Games. Members of the IOCC meet with the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation to set out recommendations. IOCC delegations make recommendations to Vancouver City Council on initiatives to regulate the demolition and conversion to other uses of Single Room Occupancy hotels (SRO).”
Feb 2002	“IOCC’s first Community Forum on the Olympics held at the Sunrise Hotel, a social housing complex in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Over 75 people attend.”
Jan 2002	“Official public launch of the IOCC. News conference attended by all local major media outlets. IOCC unveiled membership and goals, made recommendations from member groups regarding key issues surrounding the bid for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Web site launched.”