New mayor to announce steps to tackle homelessness in Vancouver

Vancouver city council's top priority is to get homeless people off the streets, and new Mayor Gregor Robertson will announce emergency steps Tuesday to address the problem.

Robertson and 10 city councillors were sworn in Monday at a ceremony in southeast Vancouver.

"We are going to focus first on homelessness a very urgent response to the winter that's setting in here and all the people that are sleeping on the streets," Robertson said after the ceremony.

"We are going to make an important announcement tomorrow regarding our first steps to address the homelessness crisis."

Robertson said he had a series of "constructive conversations" with B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Housing Minister Rich Coleman.

"We've got a lot of shared concerns and objectives for the city of Vancouver. We're going to roll up our sleeves and get things done as soon as possible, working together."

Reach out beyond city hall

The inauguration was held at the Sunset Community Centre on Main Street, a symbolic choice, said Robertson, to reach out beyond city hall to all corners of the city.

Two Bhangradancers opened the ceremony, followed by bagpipers and a dragon dance.

Robertson wore a kilt and diversity was one of several themes he built into his inaugural speech.

He also repeated earlier promises touse city bylaws to protect existing low-income housing and tax incentives to help create more.

Robertson will also have to decide what to do with one legacy of the last council, which is a lawyer's investigation into the leak of confidential documents about a $100-million bailout for the Olympic Athletes Village for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

"That decision was made by the previous council. There are concerns about the duplication between investigations by the police and[appointed lawyer] Richard Peck. We'll be looking at what's critical," Robertson said.

Made up ofthe mayor and 10 councillors, Vancouver city council was electedNov. 15.

Members will serve a three-year term and the first council meeting took place at city hall Monday afternoon.