EDITORIAL: Lobby action needed on homelessness
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Updated: July 09, 2009 3:03 PM
The Tri-Cities' homeless situation has dragged on long enough to become the victim of belt-tightening because of the province's burgeoning financial crisis.
Had the problem been identified and solutions sought sooner, we might have seen shovels in the ground already for a shelter and transition housing in Coquitlam. But no, there is no money available so the Gordon Avenue shelter project and the YMCA housing facility are officially on hold.
No wonder Coquitlam council is looking for alternatives. While church-based programs are great for the fall and winter, longer term solutions are necessary until much-needed facilities providing support and housing are built.
But is Riverview the best option as suggested at a recent Coquitlam council meeting? Probably not, given the state of infrastructure out there and concerns that short-term solutions could become the norm. It's better that local councils work together to hold the province's feet to the fire on this one.
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