Members of Courtenay council unanimously supported Doug Hillian’s resolution to develop a day centre program that would connect homeless individuals to services and shelter. He would like to see the program started by September.
“This is a need that has existed for quite some time,” Hillian said Monday at committee of the whole. “Our existing shelter does not have day program services. We have things like the Sonshine Lunch Club which provides food, but beyond that, people who have nowhere to live are essentially on the streets during the day. They end up in places like the library and the Lewis Centre which are public facilities, and that has implications for the staff and public.”
A drop-in program of this type, dubbed Connect, operates in the meeting room at the library, but only on Wednesdays and Sundays.
“About 35-45 people attend each session and it continues to grow in popularity,” said Andrea Cupelli, co-ordinator of the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness. “We know this is not enough and that people need a permanent space to go to.”
A permanent drop-in centre is identified in the coalition’s five-year plan. Ideally, it would be a space where people could escape the elements, and access washrooms, laundry, phones, showers, harm-reduction supplies, storage and other immediate supports. Visitors could also be connected to housing, education and volunteer opportunities. There would also be a social component.
Hillian said the City might be able to partner with agencies within the coalition, which has access to funding to operate such a centre.
“It appears that we may have some resources that can help on a partnership basis,” Hillian said, noting access and links to services are a key part of helping homeless individuals move beyond their circumstances.
Coun. Will Cole-Hamilton considers the idea a “great opportunity for us to serve people better.”
Coun. David Frisch questioned how the idea affects the City’s capacity.
“This is an important piece for homelessness, the drop-in centre part, but there’s other parts I don’t think we control,” Frisch said, noting senior governments need to be onboard. “People with serious issues perhaps need serious help, and I think our hands are perhaps tied in that respect.”
Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said a motion from the CVRD board going through AVICC (Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities) and UBCM (Union of B.C. Municipalities) channels calls for earmarking a portion of property transfer tax money to address affordable housing and homelessness issues in municipalities.
“There is no dedicated, financial supports through municipal governments, it’s all through the province,” Wells said.
The committee directed staff to explore the matter and report back to council.