B.C. Housing is hoping to quash rumours circulating online that a proposed housing complex would include a supervised consumption site.
Penticton city council quashed a B.C. Housing proposal for 52 units of transitional housing for Green Avenue and Skaha Lake Road last month in a 5-1 vote, with only Coun. Judy Sentes dissenting.
A recent Western News letter to the editor expressed disappointment with the decision, but some Facebook comments on that post asked why a supervised consumption site would go near schools.
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But the housing authority said the proposal never included plans for a supervised consumption site, nor will those services exist at any modular housing projects across B.C. announced late last year.
“Staff in these buildings take a harm reduction approach, which means they are available to support any residents who are in various phases of substance use,” B.C. Housing said in a statement.
“We know that statistics show that many people who die from overdoses do so when they are alone, and so facilities will be set up with the ability to provide a safe consumption space for residents only to ensure the safety of residents who are active substance users. As part of the program, residents make their own choices in regards to lifestyle and are supported in efforts to work on their health and well-being.”
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A supervised consumption site, such as Insite in Vancouver, requires approval of the federal government, which includes a long process that can take years. Only one such site exists in the Okanagan — the mobile unit in Kelowna run by Interior Health, with a similar unit in Kamloops.
Only seven more supervised consumption sites exist in the province, all of which are in Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria.
The modular projects have 24/7 staffing and include a number of types of programming, from mental health and addiction recovery, life and employment skills training and health and wellness services “that will enable residents to maintain their housing so that they can focus on other areas of their lives.”
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The housing authority was in Penticton on June 1 in a follow-up to the May 22 meeting that shot down the previous proposal with hopes of moving the 52-unit housing project forward.
“The objective of the meeting was to understand the rationale for city council’s decision and to determine what steps both B.C. Housing and the city could take to ensure the project would continue to proceed at another location in the community,” B.C. Housing said.
“It was unanimous at the meeting that the community desperately needs this project to proceed as there is a significant population of people in Penticton who are experiencing homelessness.”
B.C. Housing said it is continuing to work with city staff to find a new location for the project.
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