Dear editor,
(cc: BC Housing, Courtenay city council, and Ronna-Rae Leonard MLA)
I am writing this letter to express my great dissatisfaction and disappointment in the province of British Columbia, on their recent decision to convert hotels into a place for the unsheltered in our community.
Although I understand the need to provide shelter for those unfortunate persons I cannot help but think of the impact these decisions will have on my business and the safety of our team at Mindset Wealth.
As the owner of a building in the vicinity of the Super 8 Hotel on Cliff Avenue the proposed new homeless shelter, I am sincerely concerned about the well-being of my female staff. The presence of a shelter near my workplace raises a number of safety concerns, not only for my employees but also for the many senior clients we service in the Valley. The nature of the homeless population could lead to an increase in crime rate, harassment, and other forms of threatening behaviour that could put my employees’ safety at risk. I believe it is a small percentage of the population causing many of the issues however nobody can tell me it is not a major concern. Try to put yourself in my situation. See the recently released documentary Canada is Dying on YouTube in which our neighbouring community of Nanaimo is featured in.
Additionally, this may also plummet property values in the area. I had planned on selling my building to help fund part of my retirement, many of our clients have mentioned the same thing. The presence of a shelter nearby makes my property less desirable and therefore less valuable. Will our property taxes decrease to reflect this potential loss? I could go on and on with current examples however I am not the type to write letters and complain to much.
I urge you to reconsider your decision and explore alternative solutions that will not only provide needed shelter for our unsheltered but also ensure the safety and well-being of nearby businesses and their customers and employees.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
Robert Mulrooney,
Courtenay