The province, through BC Housing, in partnership with City of Powell River, is providing $4.6 million toward construction of a new 40-bed temporary shelter in the community, according to a July 30 media release.
The funding is from the province's Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) program. The province will also provide $1.6 million in annual operating funds.
According to the release, the temporary shelter at 7104 Barnet Street will replace the 20-bed emergency shelter that was located at 4746 Joyce Avenue, which closed in March, doubling available shelter capacity in the community.
"These new shelter spaces will offer safety, dignity and a path toward stability for people experiencing homelessness," stated Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Randene Neill, in the release. "I'm proud to see Powell River taking action to ensure everyone has access to the supports they need in the community they call home."
The shelter will be operated by Lift Community Services and offer 24/7 staffing, meals, laundry, showers and storage, as well as connections to housing and support services. It will also have security measures in place, including fenced grounds, controlled access, security cameras and lighting.
If approved by city council, it is expected to open this winter as the province works to deliver more housing options in the community.
"This response reflects the collaboration we need to address complex challenges like homelessness," stated Powell River mayor Ron Woznow. "The province, through BC Housing, is leading the delivery and funding of the shelter, Vancouver Coastal Health is providing funding for vital health services, Lift Community Services will operate the site and the city will provide the land.
“Together, we will provide opportunities for Powell River residents to have the accommodation and medical support they require."
In addition, the release stated that the qathet overdose prevention service, previously at 4752 Joyce Avenue, will also be located at the temporary shelter site. Funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and operated by Lift, the site will provide life-saving services, including a stand-alone trailer, outdoor inhalation support and a peer-recovery navigator to connect people with recovery services.
"We know that data and science tells us that when people have a place with a roof over their head where they feel safe, they can start transitioning to a more permanent stage in their lives," said Neill in an interview with the Peak. "The shelter is really a very first basic step and so under this funding, this new 40-bed shelter will be able to provide the folks who are sleeping rough outside, sleeping in encampments, a place where they can actually leave their stuff every day, and be able to count on that stability, which they haven't been able to count on so far."
Neill added that with supports in place, people facing homelessness and addiction will be able to get to that next stage in their lives, whether that is finding a job, more stability, and then a permanent place to rent or call home.
"It's really that very first rung in the ladder to get them moving into the place where they can find that stability and that long-lasting help that they need," said Neill. "We have [in qathet] three full-time psychiatrists and then a couple of online psychiatrist supports."
This work is part of the province's Belonging in BC plan to help prevent homelessness and bring more people indoors quickly.
"We're very grateful for the collaborative action being taken to provide vital, life-saving services in qathet," said Lift executive director Kim Markel. "Everyone, no matter their life circumstances, has a right to shelter and health care, and we're proud to be part of the team providing these services to community members."
According to the release, Powell River will be the first of a second group of local governments partnering with the province to put in place homeless and encampment responses and temporary housing solutions.
"Addiction, whether it's alcohol or drugs from illicit purposes, they're not safe, so harm reduction and an overdose prevention site is number one, keeping people safe," said Neill, in response to a question about the four-pillars model to treat addiction: prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. "There's so much shame and stigma surrounding drugs and people we lose to overdose deaths, who are usually young men who are using alone."
Number two, said Neill is keeping people alive, and then number three, focusing on the supports needed to get people into either addiction services, treatment centres or mental health supports to get them to that next stage.
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