To meet the everyday needs of a working-class neighbourhood and to sustain the existing economy, the community needs:

• Grocery stores that carry affordable, healthy, fresh, and culturally-appropriate foods, including produce, fish, and meat; grocery stores should be easy to walk to from nearby housing.
• Programs and policies, such as rent stabilization, that ensure businesses that cater to low-income residents remain in the neighbourhood. Almost half of all businesses are located in Chinatown because of low rents, and more than half of their customer base is made up of residents from Chinatown and Strathcona.
• Affordable retail stores that are open air or open to the sidewalk, so that it is easy for people with mobility impairments and limited English proficiency to shop.
• Safe and welcoming spaces for legalized street vending and community bartering.
• Cafes and restaurants that are affordable to and welcoming of low-income people.