Nanaimo’s mayor says the time dedicated to discussing street disorder was the highlight of the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Victoria last week.
“The fact that the premier chose to announce 100 new involuntary care beds on Friday tells me that the province is listening,” said mayor Leonard Krog. “My sense is that the ministers that we met with as council understand and get it but what I want to see is real commitment and resources.”
BACKGROUND: More involuntary care beds coming, Eby tells UBCM
There are already about 2,100 involuntary care beds for people with severe mental illness in the province. During the announcement, Premier David Eby said two new sites are coming to Prince George and Surrey.
Krog suspects 100 involuntary care beds could be filled in Nanaimo alone.
“We have 800 or 1,000 who are unhoused, many of whom suffer from now a horrible combination of not just a mental health issue but an addiction issue, trauma and more increasingly, sadly brain injury – which means their ability to make decisions that are in their best interests that are consistent with living in a community becomes more and more challenging as times goes on,” he said.
Nanaimo City Council met with the deputy premier and attorney general during the convention to discuss resources needed in Nanaimo’s court system, specifically more Crown counsels and more provincial investment into restorative justice.
Councillors also met with the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs to discuss funding challenges for shelter beds and drop-in spaces, while highlighting the need for more affordable housing in the city.
A resolution calling for the provincial government to recognize housing as a human right, co-sponsored by Nanaimo and a number of other B.C. municipalities, was endorsed at the convention.
“High minded statements, which is what it is when you want to declare housing a human right, are wonderful but without a government in place and the resources, the taxation, the commitment, it becomes – how shall I say – a clanging symbol that doesn’t mean much so I am more interested in hearing where are the bucks, where is the land, where are the staff to do the work and deliver the services,” said Krog.
Council also stressed the need for a cath lab and new patient tower for Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and a replacement building for Nanaimo District Secondary School.
