Roots of the Safety Planner Position (Image Credits: Pexels)
Vancouver – Sex workers in the city expressed deep alarm after municipal budget cuts eliminated one of two dedicated safety planner positions, leaving them without a crucial liaison to city services at a precarious time. The role, created in response to past violence against marginalized women, helped bridge gaps for those facing stigma and legal fears. With the FIFA World Cup approaching in 2026, advocates warned that heightened policing and downtown disruptions could exacerbate vulnerabilities just as supports dwindle.
Roots of the Safety Planner Position
The sex worker safety planner emerged in 2018 from a provincial inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women, spurred by the crimes of serial killer Robert Pickton in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. That role connected workers with City Hall, flagging community safety issues and facilitating access to essentials like emergency phones. It served as an anonymous channel amid widespread distrust of police and deportation risks for migrants.
Angela Wu, executive director of SWAN Vancouver, which aids immigrant and migrant indoor sex workers, described the position as a vital pipeline. “These jobs were created to prevent violence,” she stated. The cut arrived amid Mayor Ken Sim’s push for efficiencies, part of broader layoffs across city departments.
City’s Restructuring and World Cup Plans
Vancouver officials reallocated sex work-related planning across social policy and projects divisions, emphasizing gender and community safety. They committed $1.1 million in the 2026 budget for sector organizations and temporary enhancements during the event’s seven match days under FIFA’s human rights framework. Specific details on those boosts remained under development.
Yet advocates questioned whether diffused responsibilities could match the dedicated focus of the past. The changes coincided with shrinking drop-in services, including closures at PACE Society’s 24/7 center after 30 years and WISH Drop-In Centre’s overnight operations after four decades. Remaining spots like Kingsway Community Station, offering rest, food, and violence reporting, traced their origins to the planner’s advocacy.
Rising Violence and Service Gaps
Recent violence surges prompted SWAN Vancouver to assemble emergency kits and train on wound care and self-defense. Wu noted ongoing talks with FIFA organizers about policing impacts, displacement, and venue access. Street-based and migrant workers, per a long-term AESHA study of about 1,000 across Metro Vancouver, faced persistent barriers to workspaces, justice, and reporting.
Researcher Jennie Pearson, formerly with the AESHA project at UBC and now at SFU, highlighted criminalization’s role in isolating workers from mainstream aid. “As long as any aspect of sex work is criminalized, it creates barriers,” she said. Peer networks and community alerts filled voids left by police reluctance.
Advocates Push for Reversal
Steph Sia, co-chair of Living in Community and a local sex worker, called the elimination “devastating,” a step backward amid funding squeezes forcing underground operations. Amelia Ridgeway of RainCity Housing credited the planner for securing Kingsway Station, urging the city to prioritize sex worker needs in future planning. Increased surveillance ahead of the World Cup risked driving workers into riskier, isolated spots with fewer peers nearby.
Pearson stressed the reliance on community services for health and safety. The combination of cuts, closures, and event pressures amplified fears of coordination breakdowns and eroded trust.
As Vancouver eyes the global stage, the erosion of targeted supports underscores tensions between fiscal restraint and harm reduction. Advocates called for swift reconsideration to safeguard a community long underserved, ensuring the city’s preparations do not come at the expense of those most at risk.
