Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Free housing won’t solve the problems of mental health and addictions ...it’ll simply make it easier to live the lifestyle – Vernon City Councillor Scott Anderson

Vernon City Councillor Scott Anderson




While the Province is partnering with the Turning Points Collaborative Society (TPCS) on two proposals that would bring over 100 new supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness in Vernon, City Councillor Scott Anderson has concerns.

 

“My fear is that while the original Howard House needs replacement, the spread of government-funded no-cost housing will attract more street-entrenched addicts”, said Anderson on Tuesday following the government announcement. 

 

“The answer to the drug problem is not to make street life and addiction easier and safer; it’s to offer real, substantive, in-house treatment for those who want it, mental health services for those who need it, and a halt to freebies for those able-bodied, able-minded folks who have no intention of changing their circumstances”.

 

Meantime, according to Selina Robinson, the Minister responsible for Municipal Affairs and Housing:

“When people have housing and supports that meet their needs, it’s good for everyone in the community.”

Robinson continued, “Access to safe and secure housing gives people the stability and dignity they deserve, while wraparound supports help them to move forward, make healthy choices and build a better life.”

 

Anderson, however, believes that ... “Homelessness in the pre-COVID period was never about poverty, in an economy constantly crying out for labour.  It was always about addiction, mental health, and a consequent inability to set income aside for rent and basics”.

 

“Free housing won’t solve that problem...it’ll simply make it easier to live the lifestyle.”

 

The media release from Robinson Municipal Affairs and Housing Ministry announced that BC Housing will lead the construction of two building for the community of Vernon. The first development, located at 2600 35 St., will add 52 new homes with supports to the existing My Place, a 52-unit supportive housing building operated by TPCS since July 2019.

 

The second development, located at 2307 43 St., will see the derelict Howard House shelter demolished, and approximately 50 units of new supportive housing built. The site is connected to Our Place, a 46-bed supportive housing building, also operated by the Turning Points Collaborative Society.

 

"We are grateful to all our community partners, especially BC Housing and the City of Vernon,” said Randene Wejr, executive director, TPCS. “Together, we have already created homes for 56 individuals who were once experiencing homelessness. The proposed projects ahead will create more than 100 more homes.

 

The Turning Points Collaborative Society Executive Director concluded by saying, “The strength of any community can be witnessed in how it takes care of its most vulnerable citizens, today we get to witness that great strength in Vernon."

 

While that is certainly true, Anderson does have concerns which are likely echoed by others in the city.

 

“In the economic wreckage of the provincial and federal governments' response to COVID, we may have a real homelessness problem on our hands, of course, but that of course is not the target audience of these NDP initiatives”, he concluded.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FORSETH -- Given the noted infractions of this agreement with OneBC leader Dallas Brodie, I request the Party immediate suspend the leadership campaign of Yuri Fulmer

I have personally emailed the following to the Board and Administration of the Conservative Party of BC:   TODAY (03/30) Yuri Fulmer, a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC, made a pact with ONEBC leader Dallas Broldie, that if he is elected will commit the Conservative Party to the following. Specifically, the pact states : This Memorandum of Understanding outlines the definitive electoral and governing alliance that will be executed upon Yuri Fulmer’s election as Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia OneBC Party commits to not nominating or authorizing candidates in 88 of British Columbia’s 93 electoral districts. In exchange, the Conservative Party of BC, under the leadership of Yuri Fulmer, commits to not nominating or authorizing candidates in five (5) specific electoral districts . OneBC will be the sole standard-bearer for the right in those five districts. The specific ridings will be determined through mutual negotiation and fin...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH -- Focus on the nine things I mentioned. That’s what will allow the Conservative Party to win the next election

IMAGE CREDIT:   Darryl Dyck, the Canadian Press. I thought I had already made up my mind who I would be ranking on my ballot, in the Conservative Party of BC leadership race; now I am not so sure.  That means that, at least for me, and perhaps many others, it’s a good thing voting hasn’t already taken place. There were initially only one or two of the candidates that I thought might be a little too right of centre for my liking, now it seems that list is growing. I consider myself more closely aligned with what used to be called a Progressive Conservative, regardless, I feel more than comfortable within the Conservative Party of BC.  Some, however, in messages to me on my political Facebook page, have been rather, shall we say, a bit mean-spirited in comments they’ve made about my ‘purity’ as a conservative. To tell you the truth, I really don’t care! Some leadership candidates, in comments made online, have also been raising the issue of who is a pure enough conservati...
Post a Comment
Read more

Your government has a gambling problem (Troy Media)

Provinces call it “revenue,” but it looks a lot like exploitation of the marginalized The odds of winning Lotto Max are about 1 in 33 million. You’re statistically more likely to be struck by lightning than to win it. But your government is betting that statistics won’t hold you back; they’re counting on it. Across Canada, provincial governments not only regulate gambling, they also maintain a monopoly on lottery and gaming by owning and operating the entire legal market. That means every scratch card is government-issued, gambling odds are government-set, casino ads are government-funded and lottery billboards are government-paid. And these are not incidental government activities. They generate significant revenues that governments have powerful incentives to expand, not constrain. It would be one thing for our governments to encourage us to engage in healthy activities. We can quibble about whether the government should be trying to convince us to be more active or eat more vegetabl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more