Image Credit: CFJC Today / File

By Dave Barry

BC Urban Mayors’ Caucus

Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian among the B.C. mayors calling on the province to focus on complex care housing solutions

Jan 11, 2022 | 8:48 AM

KAMLOOPS —The BC Urban Mayors’ Caucus (BCUMC) has renewed its call for the provincial government to provide complex care housing solutions to deal with vulnerable members of the population.

The group of 13 mayors, including Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian, say their communities need provincial government support to deal with those who have overlapping mental health issues, substance use, trauma, and acquired brain injuries which often lead to a life of homelessness.

“Our most vulnerable are falling through the cracks,” Mayor of Kelowna and BCUMC Co-Chair Colin Basran says. “Municipalities have invested in supportive housing, funded more police and bylaw officers, and created policies to increase inclusion in our communities and yet more needs to be done and for that we need the Province’s support.”

The B.C. business community has thrown its support behind the Caucus.

“Access to housing is critical for the health of our communities,” BC Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Fiona Famulak says. “As a result of the pandemic, the need for more complex care options is greater than ever before. Cutting red tape to develop tailored housing options with urgency, is therefore critical.”

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The caucus produced its Blueprint for British Columbia’s Urban Future in the fall of 2020. It identified four key issues impacting their cities. Topping the list are the challenges resulting from mental health struggles and substance use.

“We know the Province is acting on a complex care housing framework, and we appreciate that we were invited to participate in the early formative conversations as the Province developed the model of care. We are hopeful that the provincial government will make an announcement soon,” Mayor of Victoria and BCUMC Co-Chair Lisa Helps says. “We can’t stress enough how urgently our communities need this complex care in place.”

Today (Jan. 11) the caucus released a video to help others understand the strain communities are undergoing right now. It says it is willing to work with the province to solve the problem.