In a step to address the increasing homeless population on the Sunshine Coast, District of Sechelt Council voted to submit an expression of interest to the Ministry of Housing for the Heart and Hearth program during its Feb. 5 regular meeting.
Coun. Brenda Rowe introduced the motion to the council, outlining Sechelt’s growing homelessness issue which “disproportionately affects seniors and Indigenous individuals, both of whom are particularly vulnerable populations,” she said.
The Heart and Hearth program is made of two components, the Heart piece is a homeless encampment action response team. The Hearth piece is a homeless encampment action response to temporary housing. Rowe said there have been successful implementations of this in smaller communities including Port Alberni and Duncan on Vancouver Island.
Rowe also highlighted a critical lack of affordable and supportive housing opportunities in Sechelt, which she said is insufficient to meet the increasing needs of our community and explained the Heart and Hearth program promotes community-oriented and sustainable solutions to homelessness and housing insecurity.
Rowe motioned to include a particular focus on addressing homelessness among seniors and Indigenous individuals in the letter and for staff to reach out to the shíshálh Nation to partner in the expression of interest, noting that she has already spoken with lhe hiwus yalxwemult (Chief Lenora Joe) about the proposal.
Explaining why the expression of interest focuses mainly on these two populations, Rowe said the percentage of homeless seniors in the community increases with every point in time (PIT) count conducted, a concern that she said she sees in her daily work in health care.
Rowe explained that 40 per cent of the communities homeless population is made up of Indigenous people. Pointing out that Indigenous people only account for 8 per cent of the general population, Rowe said this was “highly disproportionate.”
Part of the expression of interest is meant to raise the exposure of the community, Rowe said.
“We need some attention too. The larger municipalities are getting all the attention from both of these programs … it has just as much of an impact on our community, even though we're a smaller size,” she said.
The motion was passed by council, and staff were directed to prepare and submit expression of interest to the Ministry of Housing for the Heart and Hearth Program.
It was also resolved that staff will reach out to the Town of Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) for letters of support to strengthen the expression of interest.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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