MLA faces homeless issues

Photo: Kate Bouey

Vernon city council made it clear they need help with homelessness and the numbers of itinerant people filling local shelters and accessing services.

Speaking to Vernon Monashee MLA Eric Foster during a council meeting on Monday, councillors expressed frustration with the lack of secondary housing for women, specialized housing for people fighting addictions and mental health problems and the lack of integration of the services available.

“A shelter is not a home,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham.

Foster agreed many communities across the province were facing these challenges, but he listed the more than $8 million spent by the province in the Vernon area over the past year on shelters, low-income housing and rental assistance, adding there was only so much funding available.

“We're always going to have people at the doors of the shelter,” Foster said, adding that when one group left, another group was waiting to get in.

He called for an increase in private market rentals and reminded council that BC Housing offered rental assistance to those in need.

“Unlike Kelowna and Kamloops, we don't get the funding, but we have the services,” said Mayor Akbal Mund.

The mayor thanked Foster for the provincial funds and expressed hope they would continue to pour into the community over the next five years.

“There is no silver bullet, no cure, however we're ending up being downloaded on,” Coun. Scott Anderson told Foster.

Anderson suggested Foster meet with local groups to work out a strategy to combat homelessness and find a way to help those with addictions and mental health problems.

Foster said North Okanagan Shuswap MP Mel Arnold planned a roundtable on the subject in January and he would like to be a part of that.