Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood is in the grip of a “humanitarian crisis” of crime and violence that has reached a tipping point, Mayor Ken Sim said as he unveiled a taskforce to tackle organized crime.

Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood is in the grip of a "humanitarian crisis" of crime and violence that has reached a tipping point, Mayor Ken Sim said as he unveiled a taskforce to tackle organized crime.

Ken Sim: "We're at a breaking point, and we can't keep pouring money into a system that isn't delivering real results."

The mayor and the police chief have announced a new task force they say will target organized crime and predatory criminals operating in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.