Karm Rai, Community Safety Lead at Downtown Van (Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association - DVBIA), shared how the organization is combining community safety, placemaking, and advocacy to create a more vibrant and inclusive downtown core. Representing over 8,000 businesses across 90 blocks, RBA works to ensure that safety and activation go hand in hand in shaping a thriving urban environment.
Karm emphasized that perceptions of safety deeply affect how people engage with public spaces. Through a holistic approach, DVBIA’s Community Safety Team of ambassadors and cleaners supports vulnerable individuals, provides visible reassurance, and partners with local organizations and Paladin Security to maintain clean, welcoming streets. Events such as Summer Movie Nights and the Granville Block Party, which drew over 40,000 attendees last year, play a vital role in fostering social connection and reshaping public perception of downtown as a safe and enjoyable destination.
Beyond on-the-ground work, DVBIA’s also leads policy and advocacy initiatives. In 2023, it co-founded a Safety Task Force and developed a legislative agenda calling for stronger mental health supports, a multidisciplinary approach to repeat offending, and expanded community policing partnerships. Their Better Safe Than Sorry campaign amplified these messages, reaching over 14 million impressions and helping elevate public safety as a provincial policy priority.
Karm underscored that real change requires collaboration across sectors—linking community-level activations with systemic advocacy. “When we activate public spaces and advocate for policy reform, we make downtowns safer, more welcoming, and more connected,” he said.