From the article:

“What many critics fail to realize or admit is that the DTES is a community. Despite being in the vise-grip of a deadly health crisis, this is a neighbourhood where people know and look out for each other, and it is one in desperate need of normalizing, beyond government agencies.

“What is happening in the DTES is mental health colliding with drugs,” summarizes Snelgar. “On whether this should stop people visiting the area, no, that would only hasten its decline, and in my opinion we need to continue to work to uplift the area and, more importantly, the individuals.”

Our DTES needs Vancouverites to care for it by frequenting it. By being there. By walking its streets. By supporting its citizens and businesses, not by fear mongering or creating division — something Snelgar is very familiar with.”
​
​https://www.vancourier.com/community/people-need-to-stop-piling-on-vancouver-s-downtown-eastside-1.23934986