Hundreds of candles lit up several Vancouver street corners last night as supporters stood united in protest over the province’s decision to eliminate funding for a van that provided services and protection for sex-trade workers.

The provincial government decided not to renew the $250,000 needed to run the van because of economic hardships.

“What do they expect us to do, start sharing needles again?” said a worker who wishes to remain anonymous. “It will end up costing them way more in the long run.”

In response to violence against women in the Downtown Eastside, the Mobile Access Project (MAP) van began in 2004 and was spearheaded by the Women’s Information Safe Haven (WISH) Drop-in Centre and Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education (PACE) Society.

The van—which ran every night from 10:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.—served roughly 50 women a night and supplied them women with condoms, clean needles, coffee, juice, first-aid supplies, referrals to support and emergency services and companionship. Staff also collected “bad date” reports of violent johns.

The van was pulled off the road on June 12, but it made it out last night to greet supporters.

People packed street corners in East Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside where sex workers work and held signs that read, “Stand for the Van” and “Save MAP.”

“We certainly support the van and the fact that it provides necessary support services to the people who work the streets,” said supporter Marg Johnson. “I think it provided a safe haven and a sanctuary, so we are here to provide support in any way we can.”