溫哥華都會區（Metro Vancouver）是加拿大華人比例最高的地區之一，社區分布呈現明顯的落差。一方面，有像列治文這樣繁榮的華人聚落，市中心的「黃金村」商圈及溫哥華本市多處華人社區充滿商業活力；另一方面，唐人街與鄰近的Downtown Eastside（DTES）則長期受社會問題困擾，治安與公共衛生皆面臨挑戰。根據2021年人口普查與相關統計，大溫哥華地區約有51.2萬名華裔居民，佔總人口約19.6%。其中，列治文的東亞族群佔比已超過一半，近年更接近六成，這樣的人口結構深刻地塑造該地區的地理與社會面貌。

這樣的族群分布可追溯至歷史與移民政策的變化。華人移民大溫並非近年的偶發現象。早在19世紀，華工就參與加拿大太平洋鐵路等大型勞動工程。20世紀中期後，加拿大於1967年取消種族限制移民條件，改用以技能與家庭為主的評分制，吸引來自香港、台灣與中國大陸的新移民。尤其在1980至1997年間的香港外移潮，以及中國經濟起飛與出國留學熱潮後，溫哥華成為華人移民的重要目的地。地理與經濟條件同樣關鍵：作為太平洋沿岸港口城市，溫哥華與亞洲的貿易與交通往來便利；加上早期華人社區建立的「鏈式移民」效應，親友接力落腳、商業網絡與語言服務，使新移民更傾向集中在特定區域，逐漸形成今日的族群聚落與經濟生態。

列治文成為華人最集中的城市之一，是歷史、土地與經濟因素交織的結果。自20世紀後期起，許多香港移民在當地購地置產、創業開店，使列治文在商業與住宅面貌上逐漸轉變為熟悉的華人生活環境。亞洲餐飲、零售、夜市以及大型亞裔商場（如Aberdeen Centre、Yaohan）進一步加強集聚效應，吸引更多家庭與投資湧入，最終奠定「高華人比率、消費力強」的城市形象。這也是為何列治文常被視為「有錢人社區」的原因之一。

然而，溫哥華的另一面，則是唐人街與DTES長年累積的結構性問題。DTES的困境來自多重因素：都市核心功能外移、低價單房公寓（SRO）老化、芬太尼等合成鴉片類藥物氾濫、精神健康與成癮問題叢生，以及社會福利與住房政策不足。結果是無家者與弱勢群體在狹小範圍內高度集中，街頭露宿、公開吸毒與販毒、扒竊與暴力案件頻發，使該區被視為治安死角。唐人街正位於 DTES 與商業區的邊界，長期承擔廉價住房與社會服務的壓力，因此在環境整潔、治安安全與商業活力上都受到重創。

近十多年，無家者增加與房租飆升讓問題惡化。年輕人租屋負擔沉重，弱勢群體更難脫離街頭生活。研究與地方報導指出，若沒有可負擔住房、醫療與成癮治療資源，無家可歸現象將持續惡化。這也造成執法與社會服務之間的矛盾：單靠警力驅逐，無法根治成癮與精神健康問題。因而，許多專家呼籲推行「住房優先」策略，搭配成癮治療與社會支持，才能從根本解決問題。

治安資源分配的不均，更加深唐人街與DTES的困境。多年來，這些地區集中著大量SRO、社福機構與臨時收容所，雖然是弱勢群體的最後庇護所，卻也為犯罪與販毒提供隱蔽空間。市政府曾推動SRO改善計畫、加強街道清潔與巡邏，警方也成立專案小組，短期內使某些犯罪率下降，但要解決長期的結構性問題，仍需住房、醫療與就業政策的全面配套。

溫哥華與列治文的華人社群並非單一樣貌。列治文的富裕與高華人比率，來自早期具資本的香港移民與後來經濟實力雄厚的中國家庭，催生繁榮的商業生態與高房產擁有率；而唐人街與DTES則揭示了城市在轉型過程中，當社會安全網與包容性政策不足時，社區的脆弱面會被放大。這座城市的兩個極端，一邊是族群聚居帶來的文化與經濟活力，另一邊則提醒人們，若繁榮與弱勢間的差距持續擴大，最終將反映在公共安全與社區信任的裂痕上。

Metro Vancouver is one of the regions in Canada with the highest proportion of Chinese residents, marked by a distinctly uneven community distribution. On one hand, there are thriving Chinese enclaves such as Richmond, Vancouver’s downtown “Golden Village” commercial district, and several vibrant Chinese communities within the city, all brimming with commercial activity. On the other hand, Chinatown and the adjacent Downtown Eastside (DTES) have long struggled with entrenched social problems, facing challenges in public safety and sanitation. According to the 2021 census and related statistics, the Greater Vancouver area has approximately 512,000 Chinese residents, accounting for about 19.6% of the total population. In Richmond, East Asians already make up more than half of the population, with recent years approaching 60%. This demographic structure has profoundly shaped the area’s geography and social landscape.

The distribution of these ethnic communities can be traced back to historical developments and changes in immigration policy. Chinese migration to Greater Vancouver is not a recent phenomenon. As early as the 19th century, Chinese laborers took part in major infrastructure projects such as the Canadian Pacific Railway. In the mid-20th century, Canada abolished racially restrictive immigration policies in 1967, replacing them with a points-based system focused on skills and family ties. This attracted new immigrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China. The Hong Kong emigration wave from the 1980s to 1997, coupled with China’s economic boom and a surge in overseas education, made Vancouver a prime destination for Chinese migrants. Geographic and economic factors were equally important: as a Pacific port city, Vancouver offered convenient trade and transport links to Asia. Combined with the “chain migration” effect from early Chinese communities—relatives settling in succession, established business networks, and Chinese-language services—newcomers were more inclined to cluster in certain areas, gradually forming today’s ethnic enclaves and economic ecosystems.

Richmond’s emergence as one of the cities with the highest concentration of Chinese residents was the result of intertwined historical, land use, and economic factors. From the late 20th century onward, many Hong Kong immigrants purchased property and started businesses there, gradually transforming Richmond’s commercial and residential environment into a familiar Chinese living space. Asian restaurants, retail shops, night markets, and large Asian shopping malls such as Aberdeen Centre and Yaohan further strengthened this clustering effect, attracting more families and investment. Over time, this solidified Richmond’s reputation as a city with both a high Chinese population and strong purchasing power—one reason it is often perceived as an affluent community.

In contrast, another face of Vancouver can be seen in Chinatown and the DTES, where long-standing structural issues have persisted. The challenges in the DTES stem from multiple factors: the shift of core urban functions elsewhere, the aging of low-cost single room occupancy (SRO) housing, the widespread use of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, the prevalence of mental health and addiction issues, and insufficient social welfare and housing policies. As a result, homelessness and vulnerable populations are highly concentrated within a small area, with frequent street encampments, public drug use and trafficking, petty theft, and violent incidents, making it a public safety hotspot. Located on the border between the DTES and Vancouver’s commercial district, Chinatown has long borne the burden of providing affordable housing and social services, which has taken a toll on cleanliness, safety, and commercial vitality.

Over the past decade, rising homelessness and soaring rents have worsened the situation. Young renters face heavy financial pressure, and vulnerable groups find it even harder to escape street life. Research and local reports indicate that without access to affordable housing, healthcare, and addiction treatment resources, homelessness will continue to deteriorate. This has also created tension between law enforcement and social services: police crackdowns alone cannot address underlying addiction and mental health issues. As a result, many experts advocate for a “Housing First” strategy, paired with addiction treatment and social support, as the only sustainable solution.

Uneven distribution of public safety resources has further deepened the struggles in Chinatown and the DTES. For years, these neighborhoods have concentrated large numbers of SROs, social service agencies, and temporary shelters, which, while serving as a last refuge for vulnerable populations, have also provided cover for criminal activity and drug trafficking. The city government has implemented SRO improvement programs, increased street cleaning and patrols, and the police have established special task forces—measures that have reduced certain crime rates in the short term. However, addressing the root causes still requires comprehensive housing, healthcare, and employment policies.

The Chinese communities of Vancouver and Richmond are far from monolithic. Richmond’s affluence and high proportion of Chinese residents stem from early waves of capital-rich Hong Kong immigrants and, later, economically strong families from mainland China, creating a prosperous business ecosystem and high rates of property ownership. Meanwhile, Chinatown and the DTES reveal the city’s vulnerabilities during its transformation—when social safety nets and inclusive policies fall short, the fragility of communities becomes more visible. These two extremes—ethnic concentration bringing cultural and economic vitality on one side, and the widening gap between prosperity and disadvantage on the other—highlight a critical truth: if this disparity continues to grow, it will ultimately manifest as fractures in public safety and community trust.