BC Housing minister David Eby is warning of a potential homeless encampment in Penticton after city council rejected a request to keep a temporary winter shelter open for an additional year.
Eby addressed local media on a conference call Wednesday (March 3). The minister said he is 害羞草研究所減rofoundly disapointed and a bit baffled害羞草研究所� by council害羞草研究所檚 decision to vote to close the emergency winter shelter at Victory Church害羞草研究所檚 old 352 Winnipeg Street location.
The shelter is currently at capacity, providing beds for 42 people with more trying to get in.
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Eby said he called Penticton mayor John Vassilaki to find out the logic behind council害羞草研究所檚 decision this morning but was hung up on.
害羞草研究所淯nfortunately when we connected this morning he hung up on me and told me that we wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be speaking,害羞草研究所� Eby said. 害羞草研究所淭his is a very difficult situation and bluntly, in my opinion, I害羞草研究所檓 frightened for the leadership within in Penticton.害羞草研究所�
Eby is concerned closing the shelter April 1 will force 42 people into the streets and ultimately create a homeless encampment similar to what the province is seeing in Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo.
The pandemic has exacerbated the homelessness issue across the province.
The minister said he will do everything possible to prevent a homeless encampment from popping up in Penticton; but, if an encampment does become established, BC Housing will step in to monitor it and has 1,000 tents and sleeping bags available.
Speaking to the importance of preventing an encampment, Eby referenced the time and money spent responding to encampments in Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo that have led to 害羞草研究所渆xplosions, fires, deaths, and other very serious and troubling incidents害羞草研究所� for people living in the encampment and in the nearby areas.
To prevent the Victory Church shelter from closing down, Eby may utilize the provincial government害羞草研究所� statutory immunity, which would give them power to exempt themselves from local government rules.
However, because BC Housing does not own the Victory Church shelter, using statutory immunity could be problematic if BC Housing is taken to court by Penticton council or an upset resident.
害羞草研究所淚 want to ensure people in the shelter and people nearby that despite the fact we don害羞草研究所檛 have another site for people to go we are working very hard to identify another site where we can use Paramount C (statutory immunity).
害羞草研究所淚n the interim we may be forced into a situation with an encampment and that is the worst case scenario.害羞草研究所�
Eby struggled to find the words to express his disappointment in Penticton council. He said other cities across the province have been willing to work on establishing housing solutions, especially during the pandemic when support services are at a minimum.
Since taking the job as housing minister in November, 2020, Eby says he has spent more time speaking with Penticton council than any other city that doesn害羞草研究所檛 have an active encampment.
害羞草研究所淲e simply can害羞草研究所檛 have a situation of another encampment in the province that害羞草研究所檚 deliberately created,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 afford to go backwards in Penticton.害羞草研究所�
Eby also attempted to debunk the view that the majority of homeless people in Penticton have come from out of town. A view that mayor Vassilaki and councillors .
Approximately 80 percent of Penticton害羞草研究所檚 homeless population have lived in the city for more than five years, Eby said.
害羞草研究所淭his is a Penticton issue and it害羞草研究所檚 one that the province really wants to help Penticton solve.害羞草研究所�
More to come.
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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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