File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Minister of Municipal Affairs Josie Osborne

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: More support for Kamloops to tackle homelessness

Aug 18, 2021 | 10:31 AM

THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, local governments in B.C. have been on the front lines, providing important services to keep us all safe, healthy and connected.

The challenges of the past year have been especially hard on people who are experiencing homelessness. And across the province, municipalities and regional districts are stepping up to support those who needed a safe place to sleep, a shower or a helping hand.

Your New Democrat government is committed to supporting local governments, so they can continue to provide these important services for people. Last week – as part of the Strengthening Communities’ Services Program — we provided more than $76 million for 48 projects across the province that will help communities meet the needs of vulnerable residents and respond to the impacts of homelessness made worse by the pandemic.

The City of Kamloops is receiving over $1.4 million to deliver support that is tailored to the unique needs of the city and the people who live here. The City’s multi-faceted approach to supporting Kamloopsians experiencing homelessness is informed by community service providers who understand the pressing issues people are facing. The City’s approach includes training and employing people with lived experience as peer-support workers, who in turn will engage with people experiencing homelessness to provide a sense of community and belonging as they navigate available services and supports. City staff will also receive training focused on culturally-safe and trauma-informed responses, so they can better support vulnerable people.

Across the province, communities will be undertaking a range of projects which include expanding shelter capacity, creating daytime drop-in centres and shower programs, increasing the capacity of outreach teams, and working to connect people with the services they need to move forward.

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Homelessness is a complex issue, and our provincial government is working to address it from all angles. The pandemic has compounded the issues that contribute to homelessness, but we are also dealing with the impacts of years of neglect by the previous government. New Democrats are hard at work building more supportive and affordable housing, and we’re improving our system of mental health and addictions care. Through the Strengthening Communities Services program, we are responding to the immediate, everyday needs to keep people safe and healthy, while we continue to implement long-term solutions. And we’re doing this in partnership with local governments, who have been on the front lines of the pandemic since the beginning.

At their heart, communities are about people coming together and supporting each other, through thick and thin. This pandemic has certainly reminded us all how much we rely on our neighbours and those around us. We’ve all pulled together, even while we’ve had to stay apart.

We’re providing this support to communities like Kamloops so that people here can continue pulling together and looking out for one another. That is what makes a community strong and resilient in the face of challenges. And by supporting each other, I know the community will emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.

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