“Scapegoating: the act of blaming a person or group for something bad that has happened or that someone else has done. Example: the scapegoating of immigrants for the country’s economic problems.” – Cambridge Dictionary
While it is easy to blame the unhoused population for their predicament, all of the recent ‘Point In Time’ (PIT) suggest they are indications of a much larger problem.
Continue reading The #1 cause of homelessness
Editor’s note: This article combines the story of one city’s fight against homelessness with an overview of the province’s actions.
By Lubna El Elaimy, Burnaby Beacon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Last week, the Society to End Homelessness delegation spoke at the city council meeting. Executive director Carol-Ann Flanagan gave a presentation on the current status of homelessness and the unsheltered in Burnaby. The presentation comes after BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon released an official statement on Oct. 10 marking Homelessness Action Week, in which he recognized volunteers and organizations working to end homelessness.
“Through our work, in collaboration with local governments, nonprofits, and Indigenous partners, 4,800 people have moved into supportive homes since we formed government. In 2022, we invested $633 million to take action against homelessness, and this year, we’re investing up to $1.5 billion through Budget 2023 in new initiatives aimed at helping prevent and reduce homelessness in the province,” Kahlon said in the statement.
Continue reading Homelessness Action Week at Burnaby City Council
Editor’s Note: An excellent overview of BC’s eviction problem, told from the perspective of immigrants.
By Diary Marif, New Canadian Media, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Rising eviction rates in B.C. and tenant-landlord disputes are causing stress and insecurity for tenants, especially immigrants.
At the Dispute Resolution Office in Burnaby, Borhan Moradi waited in line to challenge his landlord’s one-month eviction notice. Holding his file in one hand and ticket Number 31 in the other, he was among 30 tenants waiting to file disputes with their landlords.
Moradi was stressed; he spoke to NCM briefly because he had taken time off work to dispute and needed to return. He said he couldn’t believe his landlord’s “strange behaviour.”
“I have nowhere to go. It’s not easy to find a house,” Moradi said. “I am looking for justice.”
According to a new report, renters in B.C. have the highest eviction rates in Canada. The University of B.C. report used the 2021 Canadian Housing Survey — the most recent statistics available — to estimate eviction rates across Canada.
Continue reading BC’s new Canadians at higher risk for eviction from rentals
Editor’s Note: While Campbell River is two ferry trips away, it is the central hub for supplies and local government in our area. All Cortes Island residents periodically pass though Campbell River and the affordable housing crisis is found in every community. (See the charts at the bottom of this page.)
Campbell River’s latest ‘Point in Time’ (PIT) Count found 197 homeless people within the city limits. 65% of them have been in Campbell River for at least five years, and 22% were born there. They are sleeping outside, in vehicles, or in someone else’s home. When asked, a third of them reported not earning enough money to pay rent.
“If they’re not in public places, if they are shuffled along back into alleys or nooks and crannies, they are targets. That is one of the reasons they congregate in public together. It’s safe. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve run into over the last year that have got a cast, or their heads wrapped up or they’re on crutches or whatever,” explained Sue Moen, who worked for the Salvation Army prior to her retirement.
“It’s like, ‘Bylaw Enforcement pushed us along. We hung out in this alley. Four guys showed up (not members of the unhoused community), beat us all up and stole all our stuff.’”
Cortes Currents asked Moen for her impressions of a series of motions the City of Campbell River passed at their October 10 meeting.
Continue reading Solving Campbell River’s homeless crisisEditor’s note: Campbell City Council did remove the tax exemptions, but is currently in discussion with the art gallery.
At their September 28 Council meeting, the city of Campbell River took the first steps towards removing the tax exemptions from the Campbell River Art Gallery (CRAG) and Vancouver Island Mental Health. Councillor Ron Kerr made the motions, which were approved, with only Councillor Tanille Johnston voting in opposition. City staff informed council this was a change of direction which affected the budget and there would need to be a second meeting before the exemptions can be removed. This has been scheduled for October 12.
Continue reading Campbell River to remove tax exemptions from Art Gallery and Mental Health
