Credit: B.C. Housing

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Action, not just words, needed on social housing and crime

Feb 24, 2021 | 4:28 AM

KAMLOOPS — KUDOS TO SEVERAL CITY COUNCILLORS who are determined to wrestle the issue of social housing and associated street crime to the ground.

Coun. Bill Sarai presented a lengthy notice of motion as Tuesday’s Kamloops council meeting was winding down aimed at getting some action. He wants more 24/7 security patrols hired for downtown and on the Tranquille shopping corridor, subsidies for businesses to install more surveillance cameras and more co-ordination from provincial ministries to get a handle on the problem.

He proposes asking the province to review criteria for social housing projects and support programs as well as ensuring wrap-around services are provided when new housing is built.

Sarai was followed by Coun. Dale Bass, who submitted her own notice of motion proposing use of federal-provincial Safe Restart COVID funding for street-related issues such as washroom options for the homeless, additional storage and temporary housing.

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All this follows up on a notice of motion a couple of weeks ago from Bass, Coun. Sadie Hunter and Coun. Kathy Sinclair that sought an in-depth study of the City’s social issues and their underlying roots.

That motion was defeated due to issues around focus but the two new ones might have a better chance of success. Certainly, Sarai’s in particular is more action oriented.

This determination to get something done is a response to a growing social issue, and the councillors driving it deserve credit. If one or both of the new motions meet with approval when they come up for debate, and if they result in a plan of action that includes provincial agencies, and avoids situations like the ones on West Columbia Street and Victoria Street West, that would be definite progress.

A strategy of simply trying to spread social housing around to various neighbourhoods isn’t good enough anymore.

The issue has become complex and exceedingly challenging. The councillors behind these recent attempts to do something about it are taking the right approach.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.