Overview

• Larry Campbell was appointed provincial point-person for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on a six-month contract running through March 2026.
• He will report directly to Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Christine Boyle, earning up to $92,000 plus a maximum of $10,000 in expenses.
• The government says his mandate is to coordinate improvements in housing, health care, public spaces, infrastructure and economic development.
• Campbell said he is not a saviour, plans to spend the next two months meeting with residents and front-line groups, and will prioritize housing as the central lever for support.
• Community leaders welcomed a clearer conduit to Victoria and Ottawa, while critics questioned the use of short-term ‘czar’ roles and pointed to ongoing disputes over provincial drug policy.