VICTORIA – New Democrat MLAs Grace Lore, Rob Fleming, and Murray Rankin say vulnerable people in Greater Victoria will have greater access to local services which will help tackle homelessness as the community recovers from the impacts of the pandemic.
“The effects of the pandemic were disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable in our community and now as we recover from the pandemic, we are ensuring people can access the services they need,” said Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill. “We are supporting the City of Victoria in their efforts to find comprehensive solutions to help people experiencing homelessness access housing and participate fully in their communities.”
“Local governments play a direct and important role in ensuring people have access to the services that they need and our government is committed to supporting them through the challenges brought on by the pandemic,” said Rob Fleming, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake. “People across Victoria deserve to live in safe and healthy neighbourhoods and through this funding, the City of Victoria will be able to expand their operations to meet the community members’ unique and diverse needs.”
“I am encouraged that this funding will support the City of Victoria’s plans to build housing for people facing homelessness and address impacts on the community,” said Murray Rankin, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “These investments will also go towards hiring more staff, expanding crisis response services, and promoting inclusion, health, and safety in Victoria’s neighbourhoods.”
Victoria is receiving over $4.7 million in joint provincial and federal funding to support it’s plans to build additional housing, hire peer-support staff to help transition people indoors, and hire specific staff to focus on the needs of unsheltered Indigenous people. Funding will also support increased health, safety, and community inclusion initiatives, a pilot Peer Assisted Crisis Team, and neighbourhood dialogues aimed at building relationships.
Nearby, Sooke is receiving $413,412.00 in joint provincial and federal funding to improve coordination between services, develop capacity to address homelessness, and support the transition indoors for people who are experiencing homelessness. The project will have a specific focus on developing relationships with Indigenous communities in the region and ongoing engagement with people who have experienced homelessness.
MLAs Lore, Fleming and Rankin say this investment is part of the Strengthening Communities Program which is providing support to 48 communities across B.C. Over $76 million will support local governments to combat the impacts of homelessness and keep their communities safe and healthy as they recover from the pandemic.
John Horgan and the BC New Democrat government is providing the support people need to build a recovery that leaves no one behind.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MUNI0044-001589