Downtown Eastside street market: judge upholds city bylaw

A B.C. judge has upheld a Vancouver bylaw used by police to crack down on people selling goods on the street in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Judge William Yee dismissed a constitutional challenge from four people represented by the Pivot Legal Society Monday, ruling they must now pay fines in the order of $250.

Lawyers from Pivot argued in court last April on their behalf that the fines were unconstitutional because the bylaw infringed on a person's right to security.

In the past, Vancouver police have expressed concerns over people selling stolen goods and expired food on the street.

Each Sunday there's a city-sanctioned organized market in the neighbourhood, but police have ticketed some people for selling items on other days of the week.

The largest such informal market can be found most days on East Hastings Street.