Funding for the The Clean Team Day Labour Program that removes needles and drug paraphernalia in key areas of the downtown core and in West Quesnel is scheduled to run out at the end of July.
Mayor Bob Simpson, speaking at last (Tuesday) night’s city council meeting, had a couple of ideas.
“We are actively working to support this program at least through to the end of the year. We do have some funding in our provincial COVID grant under vulnerable population, but I believe Director Turner that the province has reinstituted this program through UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) ?”
Tanya Turner, the Director of Development Services, confirmed that the city was working on that.
Councilor Mitch Vik, also the Chair of the Executive Committee, noted how successful this program has been.
“As we know Kelsi Andreychuk is the coordinator for this program. And I can say both professionally, and in my work and through the work I do for the city, it has had a great impact. Certainly they’re doing a phenomenal job cleaning sharps and other paraphernalia throughout the community.  The peer led group has been very successful, and has also been really great for building trust between a group that has traditionally had issues.”
The Clean Team is a peer lead group of 13 individuals.