During Quesnel City Council on Tuesday (September 6th), one of the big topics of discussion was the supportive housing project at the Ramada Inn.
The proposed project was turned down by Council on its second reading, due to the lack of support from the community.
“We had a very long interrogatory with BC Housing representatives about how they read the public consultation, which was overwhelmingly against the process BC Housing was using, and the proposed location.” says Bob Simpson, Mayor of Quesnel.
55 percent of participants who took a survey from the City of Quesnel, say they strongly disagree that permanent supportive homes in downtown Quesnel would help address the city’s homelessness crisis.
Simpson added that the project isn’t addressing the needs they’re now experiencing on the street. He says there needs to be a more deliberate proactive plan to deal with the homelessness crisis.
The project would also see the Season’s House Shelter to no longer house people. This would go for any future project ideas, as Simpson says the shelter is completely inappropriate, unsafe, and counter productive to tourism initiatives.
He says that Council will be looking for a new location for a short term shelter.
Simpson says that the provincial and federal government need to pick up the ball, and give local governments the resources they need.
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