Through the provincial Strengthening Communities’ Services Program, a frontline service in downtown Trail received $179,000 to help workers connect with the homeless; a respective Castlegar program was funded $112,500 to strengthen a coordinated community response to homelessness; and Nelson received $221,000 to invest in a coordinated access hub.
This particular revenue stream, the province says, “supports local governments and modern Treaty Nations in building additional capacity to address the needs of unsheltered people in their communities, while keeping communities safe and healthy.”
Administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), program funding is open to all municipalities, regional districts, Islands Trust and modern Treaty Nations in B.C.
“Communities throughout the province are struggling with growing numbers of unsheltered citizens, many of whom require long-term complex care and supportive housing options,” said Laurey-Anne Roodenburg, president, UBCM. “This program provides funding to sustain local services, expand temporary shelters options and provide critical services during the current crisis … ”
In all, 44 communities across B.C. were included in this latest funding cycle.
The province reported it is investing more than $15 million in community-led projects that provide services, such as outreach and mental-health supports, creating new temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness, and expanding shelter availability during potential extreme weather through the program’s second intake. The funding is in addition to the $76 million provided to local governments and modern Treaty Nations through the program in 2021.
Strengthening Communities’ Services Program is part of the Safe Restart Agreement, a $540-million shared venture between the Government of Canada and the province, providing funding to local governments to help communities manage the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other funding includes: $425 million in direct grants for local government operations to address facility reopening and operating costs, emergency response costs, lost revenues and other COVID-19-related impacts; and $15 million for local governments to improve efficiency of local development approval processes.