street-signs in Punjabi and English were installed in 1993 at the corner of 49th avenue and Main Street. Present day Presently, the Punjabi Market is in a period of transformation. Gradually beginning in the 1980s, the suburbanization of the South Asian community in Vancouver caused many to relocate from South Vancouver east towards Surrey and Delta due to high rents and housing prices on relatively small properties. Enticed by cheaper housing for larger properties, new waves of South Asian immigrants in the 1990s and 2000s also preferred to settle in Surrey and Delta. Coupled with high retail rents and the geographical shift in the consumer base, the decline of the Punjabi Market in South Vancouver as a prominent South Asian inner-city district has occurred over the past two decades, with reports in 2013 citing growing retail vacancies. The market has evolved from the traditional food, clothing and jewellery stores to a more diverse offering, which now includes a licensed cannabis shop. Small businesses have been a hallmark of the market throughout the years, but are facing headwinds. Recent development of commercial space has brought chain stores such as a Tim Hortons into the heart of the market. In 2016, the City of Vancouver first engaged a study and a community planning process to review neighbourhood policies impacting arts, culture, retail and public spaces. In October 2019 six community engagement events were held taking feedback about priorities for residents and business owners. The City of Vancouver staff produced a summary, which included public priorities and 8 recommended actions for Council to consider for the near term. The recommended actions included: Historic Context Statement, Cultural Grants, Vancouver Plan Activities, Near Term Public Realm Improvements, 50th Anniversary Proclamation, Community Art in Public Realm-Call for Artists, Commercial Area Capacity Building Work and Business to Business Support, and Long Term Community Stewardship Partnership. Punjabi District Over the years, the neighbourhood became increasingly popular among the nearly 300,000 South Asian residents in the city as a focal point for culture and commerce. There are a number of Punjabi cuisine restaurants, sweet shops, and grocers representing cuisine from varying parts of the subcontinent; as well as other businesses that cater to an Indo-Canadian community and tourists alike. The market has become a shopping destination for many weddings because of the numerous Punjabi ethnic clothing and bridal goods that are available. There is also a significant number of