24866 replies to this topic

[kitty surprise]

Create a new community where land is plentiful and cheap.

Urban planners wet dream.

Designate the area a special economic zone with tax exemptions, wage incentives etc.

7Eleven Dollarama Money Mart wet dream.

Advertise this community as progressive and ensure governance is lax and easily corruptible. Soft on drugs too.

SJW takeoverists wet dream.

Build cheap plentiful free housing for everyone wanting housing but unwilling/unable to pay.

All the other "service providers" will relocate if they want to get paid.

Homelessness/addiction/mental injury is a national issue and nothing short of big ideas is going to move the yardstick.

[Love the rock]

This isn't a housing issue, it's a mental health and addiction issue.  You can build as many shelters as you want and a good chunk of the street population won't live in them.  Building shelters where the homeless do not want to live isn't going to fix anything.

 

The issue is leaving decisions to those that are so ill that they cannot look after themselves.  47 years after "one flew over to cuckoo's nest" we have what we have today.

Yes you are right a good part of  it is a mental health issue. Right now people with mental health issues are living in shelters . Until laws change to force mentally ill people into group homes or institutions  they are in shelters.  
Stop building shelters we’re full .Stop allowing other provinces to simply send people on a bus out of their jurisdiction. Remember Lisa  made a speech with a  photo opt welcoming the man with from Saskatchewan who had been given a one way ticket here  . Lisa informed the people of Victoria how it was our duty to help this troubled  man into our community. His buddy from the same community was also given a won way ticket stayed in Vancouver. 

How many times have we heard in interviews I came to Victoria I heard you can get free housing or I came here because I heard you can camp in a beautiful park for free even get your meals delivered .

I’m not sure how many people with a serous mental illness would be able to find a way to Victoria on there own . How long had Camaro man from Alberta  been here before he was given free new housing .  
A matter of months.

Ideally addicts and mentally ill would be in treatment the government hasn’t changed the laws to allow this to happen except in severe cases .

I get we can’t fix everything . Services should have a time limit unless you are unable to care for yourself. The goal should always be to have you stand on your own feet .

[Mike K.]

Permanent homes, shelter spaces coming to Salt Spring Island
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News Release

GANGES
Thursday, January 20, 2022 1:45 PM
The Province, through BC Housing, has partnered with the Capital Regional District to create new independent housing with supports and shelter spaces on Salt Spring Island.

“This new project will provide permanent safe and secure housing with supports to vulnerable members of the Salt Spring community who have struggled to find a place to live,” said David Eby, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing. “This successful collaboration between BC Housing, Capital Regional District, Islands Trust, Lady Minto Hospital Foundation, and Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society shows what we can accomplish when we work together. This outcome means health-care workers have a place to live on the island, and the most vulnerable residents of Salt Spring also have a home. I’m very grateful to everyone who helped us get to this positive outcome.”

Located at 161 Drake Rd., the new housing project will provide up to 28 new permanent homes with supports, as well as dedicated shelter and programming space. The project will provide housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the community, including people who are living in Salt Spring’s temporary Seabreeze Inne and Fulford-Ganges shelters. Residents will live independently and have access to supports, such as daily meals, laundry, employment support, health supports, harm reduction and community programming.

The Drake Road project will be operated by the Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society, which also operates the Fulford-Ganges shelter. The society will provide supports to residents, based on individual need.

BC Housing and the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation have agreed to extend the lease of the Seabreeze Inne shelter until construction of the Drake Road permanent homes are completed. The shelter’s lease was set to expire on Feb. 8, 2022.

To get these homes built as soon as possible, the Province is accelerating the project straight to construction using its authority under the Interpretation Act. This is commonly known as “statutory immunity”. The Capital Regional District has expressed its support for this approach.

Site preparation and construction will begin in the coming weeks. The building is expected to open in late summer 2022.

Once the Drake Road project is completed, the most vulnerable residents at the Seabreeze Inne and 268 Fulford-Ganges shelters will be relocated to the new site and both shelter locations will be returned to their owners. BC Housing will also provide rent supplements to shelter guests who are able to live independently and want to rent in the private market.

BC Housing will engage with the public and Drake Road neighbourhood stakeholders in January 2022.

[Nparker]

...To get these homes built as soon as possible, the Province is accelerating the project straight to construction using its authority under the Interpretation Act. This is commonly known as “statutory immunity”...BC Housing will engage with the public and Drake Road neighbourhood stakeholders in January 2022

Engage for what purpose? Clearly the decision is a fait accompli.

 

Also, just because the term "most vulnerable" keeps being used, doesn't make it true.

[Barrrister]

I am sure it is a community that will just keep expanding with its own success.

It will be a brilliant, and ever growing, addition to downtown Ganges. 

[Moderation]

 Most people rightly complain about the concentration  in Victoria. If services are not provided outside Victoria we may just have even greater concentration in Victoria.

 

Perhaps some people in Victoria may see Salt Spring as a better place to be.

Edited by Moderation, 20 January 2022 - 03:58 PM.

[Matt R.]

The need here is huge just like Victoria. Unlike Victoria we have endless amounts of bush to camp in.

[Nparker]

This message was just sent to staff at the Richard Blanshard Building (1515 Blanshard)
 

What’s happening: Demonstration for The Poor People’s Walk

Where: 1515 Blanshard St

When: Friday, January 21, 2022

Why do I need to know: A demonstration is currently occurring, Friday, January 21, 2022, in Victoria, at 1515 Blanshard Street.  The demonstration is for The Poor People’s Walk.  The event is expected to be peaceful.

What the heck is "The Poor People's Walk"? Does it have something to do with all the taxes I pay? If so, how do I get in on this walk?

[On the Level]

This message was just sent to staff at the Richard Blanshard Building (1515 Blanshard)
 

What the heck is "The Poor People's Walk"? Does it have something to do with all the taxes I pay? If so, how do I get in on this walk?

 

This has been planned for ages and it is going to have quite an impact.  More information here:
 

https://www.dailymot...m/video/x2hwqki

[JimV]

 

Meanwhile, Victoria gets closer to achieving world class city status.  
 

[Nparker]

WTF? Since when is the sidewalk on Government Street considered a park?

[Barrrister]

Exactly who is giving these people tents in the first place?

[Victoria Watcher]

Taxpayers in many cases.

[Victoria Watcher]

Politicians eager to see new model for hard-to-house rolled out on Island

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps says she’s “thrilled” with the new model, which aims to address the needs of people with overlapping mental-health challenges, substance-use issues, trauma and acquired brain injuries.

 

https://www.timescol...-island-4983876

 

 

 

While the announcement did not included any sites on the Island, Helps said she recognizes the province had to start somewhere.

 

“We’re going to continue to advocate, particularly with the provincial budget next month, to ensure that there are more sites, hopefully in Victoria, hopefully in Kelowna, hopefully up north,” she said.

 

______________________________________

 

There are already more than 3,500 people in the province in supportive housing with on-site supports but “there are also people who need a higher level of care that goes beyond what was provided in supportive housing,” said Malcolmson.

 

 

 

^ 3,500?  And half of them are in CoV?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 January 2022 - 04:41 AM.

[A Girl is No one]

Wait… what they define as complex care is very similar to what they said would be in supportive housing:

“ It is not necessarily around-the-clock care — the supports were compared to home care or an occupational therapist who comes in and identifies a client’s needs. Additional supports could include helping a client learn to cook nutritious food, counselling, or formulating a health care plan.“

Expect these people to terrorize the neighbourhoods to land in. Particularly since they can’t get kicked out. So of course her worseship wants one here. And I guarantee it won’t be in her neck of the woods.

[Victoria Watcher]

helping a client learn to cook nutritious food

 

 

All the hotel conversions come with 3 meals per day free catering.  Who would want to cook?   Yet alone buy their own groceries.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 January 2022 - 07:41 AM.

[A Girl is No one]

What I’m reading here is that it will be fairly similar to supportive housing we have but staffed by government workers and the « residents » won’t ever be kicked out for bad behaviour. Maybe a few more medical supports will materialize but the same basic principles will remain: ppl can come and go as they want, no need to take their meds etc.

BC gov is just stepping in to do the work the poverty pimps were supposed to do. I remember very well that all these places like Mt Edward etc were supposed to have healthcare workers and nurses, therapists, art therapy and yoga etc.

[A Girl is No one]

^ 3,500? And half of them are in CoV?[/quote]

It’s what the « bring it on » mentality got us. Thanks Helps. 😡

[LJ]

I would be OK with this supportive housing if it came with locks on the outside of the individual doors.

[JimV]

BC gov is just stepping in to do the work the poverty pimps were supposed to do. I remember very well that all these places like Mt Edward etc were supposed to have healthcare workers and nurses, therapists, art therapy and yoga etc.

We have a lot of underemployed healthcare workers, so that should be no problem. And the art therapy is easy-just give them some more cans of spray paint.