Housing Minister Rich Coleman was flabbergasted at the angry response to his solution to the Victoria courthouse 鈥渢ent city,鈥� the latest tarp-covered camp to spring up in southern B.C.
Coleman announced two temporary shelters with three meals a day and medical supports. One is a former nursing home close to the courthouse squat, conveniently located near panhandling and drug dealing spots as well as taxpayer-funded services. The other offers indoor or outdoor tent space at a former youth custody centre, with a dedicated downtown shuttle bus so these 鈥渧ictims鈥� of 鈥渉omelessness鈥� don鈥檛 have to endure B.C.鈥檚 most generous transit bus system.
We weren鈥檛 consulted, said the indignant spokespeople for those bringing new-looking tents to take advantage of food and other handouts, offered in B.C.鈥檚 warmest climate by the province鈥檚 most na茂ve local government.
But this was just a show for the media by our resident professional protesters, some of whom aren鈥檛 really 鈥渉omeless.鈥�
After the reaction, which Coleman described as 鈥渂izarre,鈥� the combined 88 housing opportunities are being snapped up. Those on welfare will have to fork over their $375 monthly housing allowance, as the province continues to convert more housing and offer more rent subsidies.
It鈥檚 no wonder that southern B.C. is the destination of choice. Coleman said it鈥檚 always been a seasonal thing, but this winter has been the highest in a decade, largely due to an exodus of economic migrants from the downturn in Alberta, naturally heading for B.C.鈥檚 most desirable real estate.
I asked him about two other homeless hotspots. , campers have ignored a city deadline to take down structures in a three-year-old camp, after temporary shelter and costly provincial supports were brought on. A courtroom and street confrontation looms with self-styled 鈥渄rug war survivors鈥� and their Vancouver legal help.
In Maple Ridge, a tent camp sprang up next to the local Salvation Army shelter, with people cycling through the shelter鈥檚 15-day limit, camping and being fed until they could go back in.
Mayor Nicole Read, who has worked in Vancouver鈥檚 Downtown Eastside, said Maple Ridge took on its own outreach, shelter and housing effort because the province鈥檚 $1 million-a-year Salvation Army operation isn鈥檛 working.
Coleman is not amused. He said he鈥檚 had no complaints about Abbotsford鈥檚 Salvation Army shelter, and Read is the only one griping. And no mayor is going to tell him how to spend provincial dollars. Maple Ridge now has two shelters with accompanying street drugs, prostitution and crime.
I asked Coleman about the 10-year-study led by Simon Fraser University researcher Julian Somers on the housing, outreach and services in Vancouver鈥檚 Downtown Eastside. This is the heart of B.C.鈥檚 鈥渉ousing first鈥� strategy, where the province has bought and renovated 30 鈥渟ingle room occupancy鈥� buildings, built another dozen and poured in every possible support, including the buyout of high-living executives at the Portland Hotel Society.
The study found that the hardest cases are worse off than ever, based on court, hospital and other service records, while the influx to the notorious Vancouver drug ghetto have tripled in 10 years.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had a chance to go over that report yet, but I disagree with the assumption I鈥檝e heard already, because I walk the Downtown Eastside,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if they do every few weeks to a month, but I've been doing it for about nine or 10 years and I can tell you it鈥檚 a whole lot better down there.鈥�
The question is whether problems are being solved, or just better hidden from view.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
