The Executive Director of the Quesnel Shelter and Support Society is disputing the claim made by Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson.
Melany MacDonald is referring to the comment made at this week’s City Council meeting that suggested that harm reduction kits would be offered from the new facility on Elliott Street 24-7 on a drop-in basis to community members and that she challenged their contractor BC housing on this.
“And it is those allegations and those statements are very untrue. That was not the nature of the conversation at all, the nature of the conversation was speaking in regards to what services would be provided to tenants within the facility.”
MacDonald says it was also a very positive conversation and that she didn’t challenge BC Housing.
Moving forward, she says the new deadline imposed by the City to present an operation model for the facility and to complete the housing and good neighbour agreements won’t be an issue.
She says they have been clear from the beginning that they won’t be providing drop-in services out of the new facility…
“Back at the open house you have me on radio saying we will not be providing drop-in services out of this new facility, we have been really clear about that, i have spoken publicly to that on a number of occasions, so to suggest that we aren’t being compliant or agreeable of working in good faith is absolutely ridiculous. We are exercising caution at times, due to the aggressive nature that we are being pushed on this by the Mayor, because we are in the middle of a public health emergency and the services that we are providing are saving lives in this community.”
MacDonald says they have time to transition these services.
She ads that they never wanted to be the sole provider for this population, they have simply been filling a void.