Social Planning Committee

SOCIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE

MINUTES

An Open meeting of the Social Planning Committee was held in the Council Chamber, Burnaby City Hall, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. on Wednesday, 2016 June 01 at 6:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER

PRESENT:

ABSENT:

STAFF:

Councillor Anne Kang, Vice Chair

Councillor James Wang, Member (arrived at 6:30 p.m.)

Trustee Baljinder Narang, School Board Representative

Ms. Noreen Boudreau, Citizen Representative

Ms. Laarni de los Reyes, Citizen Representative

Mr. Ryan Erwin, Citizen Representative (arrived at 6:16 p.m.)

Mr. Frank Huang, Citizen Representative (arrived at 6:10 p.m.)

Ms. Mary Lumby, Citizen Representative

Mr. Shiraz Nathwani, Citizen Representative

Councillor Nick Volkow, Chair

Ms. Maita Santiago, Citizen Representative

Mr. William Tsai, Citizen Representative

Ms. Peggy Woodruff, Citizen Representative

Ms. Margaret Manifold, Senior Social Planner

Ms. Carla Schuk, Planner 2

Mr. Craig Collis, Assistant Director - Recreation

Ms. Blanka Zeinabova, Administrative Officer

The Chair called the Open meeting to order at 6:11 p.m.

MINUTES

Minutes of the Social Planning Committee

Open meeting held on 2016 April 06

MOVED BY ms. de los reyes

SECONDED BY mr. nathwani

THAT the minutes of the Social Planning Committee Open meeting held on 2016 April 06 be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

DELEGATIONS

MOVED BY school trustee narang

SECONDED BY ms. lumby

THAT the delegations be heard.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Communication Disabilities Access Canada

Re: Communication Access Now (CAN) Project

Speaker: Lois Turner, Regional Coordinator

Ms. Lois Turner, Regional Coordinator, Communication Disabilities Access Canada, appeared before the Committee providing a presentation on the Communication Access Now Project, raising awareness of accessibility for people who have speech and language disabilities, as well as providing information regarding e-learning modules offered by the Communications Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) for the front line staff.

Arising from discussion, the Committee REFERRED the presentation to staff for consideration.

**Councillor Wang arrived at 6:30 p.m. and took his place at the Committee table.**

B)	Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness Re: Access to Showers for Burnaby's Homeless Citizens Speaker: Wanda Mulholland, Community Development Coordinator

Ms. Wanda Mulholland, Community Development Coordinator, Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness, appeared before the Committee expressing concerns with access to showers for Burnaby’s homeless citizens.

Ms. Mulholland noted that in May 2016 the Task Force evolved from an informal group to become the Society to End Homelessness in Burnaby. The Society is committed to working with the City, senior levels of government, the health authority, RCMP, social service agencies, businesses and citizens to ensure the provision of housing, support services, and adequate income for Burnaby residents who are without housing or at risk of homelessness.

The speaker noted the lack of public toilets, showers and laundry facilities available to homeless people. Ms. Mulholland provided two successful model ideas:

1. Kitsilano Shower Program

· partnership with Vancouver Parks and Recreation and Interfaith communities;

· provides breakfast, clothing, toiletries and a place for a shower every Saturday morning

2. North Vancouver Recreation

· assists all homeless individuals attending their community centres who request a shower;

· the facility provides free towels, toiletries and covers the cost of the shower

Ms. Mulholland noted that in 2005 the Provision of Services Sub Committee identified a concern regarding access to showers, washroom facilities and laundry for Burnaby’s homeless. The Committee has pursued a wide range of innovative ideas to address this concern, i.e.:

· community centres/existing showers in public spaces

· outdoor pools

· isolated city buildings originally designed with showers

· retrofitted containers converted into shower and washroom facilities

· existing rental portable showers (i.e. entertainment industry trailers)

In 2015, the Task Force was awarded a grant from the Burnaby Hospital Foundation to support an Outreach Health Fund – focusing on nutrition, access to transit and access to showers. With these funds, the Task Force set out to find a way to fund access to showers. Innovative approaches included:

· purchasing individual shower tickets

· creating a Task Force punch card to be located at community centre reception

· creating passes for shower use

· requesting complimentary passes for use at community centres

· requesting to utilize the Burnaby Metro Soccer Club washroom facilities during off hours

In conclusion, Ms. Mulholland requested:

· recognition from the City that Burnaby’s homeless citizens deserve to be respectfully assisted in obtaining basic needs such as showers

· a commitment from the City to work with the Society in the development of access to showers for homeless

· support for the Society to establish a permanent Outreach Resource Centre in which showers, washrooms, laundry facilities, food, clothing, outreach workers and resources would be provided to Burnaby’s homeless

**Mr. Erwin arrived at 6:44 p.m. and took his place at the Committee table.**

Arising from discussion, the following motion was introduced:

MOVED BY MS. DE LOS REYES

SECONDED BY MS. BOUDREAU

THAT the delegation’s presentation be REFERRED to staff for report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee requested the report be submitted to the next Committee meeting in September.

CORRESPONDENCE

MOVED BY ms. lumby

SECONDED BY mr. erwin

THAT the correspondence be received.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Memorandum from the Deputy City Clerk

Re: Funding for Seniors

A memorandum was received from the Deputy City Clerk advising that Council, at the Open Council meeting held on 2016 April 25, forwarded correspondence from Judy Darcy, MLA for New Westminster, regarding seniors care in residential care homes to the Social Planning Committee for consideration.

REPORT

MOVED BY school trustee narang

SECONDED BY ms. lumby

THAT the report be received.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Report from the Director Planning and Building

Re: Update on the Burnaby Healthier Community Partnership

The Director Planning and Building submitted a report providing an update on the initiatives of the Burnaby Healthier Community Partnership.

The Director Planning and Building recommended:

1. THAT this report be received for information of the Committee and Council.

2. THAT a copy of this report be forwarded to Dr. Lisa Mu, Medical Health Officer for Burnaby, Mr. Ron Burton, Chair, Burnaby Board of Education, and Ms. Valerie Dubenko, Executive Director, Burnaby Division of Family Practice.

MOVED BY ms. de los reyes

SECONDED BY mr. huang

THAT the recommendations of the Director Planning and Building be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

NEW BUSINESS

Ms. Noreen Boudreau – Silver Alert

Ms. Boudreau inquired regarding the development status of BC Silver Alert. The Silver Alert is a public notification system (similar to Amber Alert) to broadcast information about missing persons, especially senior citizens with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other mental disabilities, in order to aid in their being found.

Staff advised they are not aware of the development status for BC Silver Alert.

Staff reminded Committee members of four sessions being held in the Burnaby Public Library branches in June seeking idea sharing and suggestions to make Burnaby a dementia-friendly community.

Ms. Boudreau inquired if the City will be acknowledging National Aboriginal Day on June 21.

Staff advised the City of Burnaby, Burnaby School District and other stakeholders will be celebrating National Aboriginal Day on June 21 at the Edmonds Community School from 12 – 8 p.m.

Councillor Anne Kang – Parent Support Services Society

Councillor Kang advised that she attended Grandparents Raising Grandchildren meeting organized by the Parent Support Services Society of BC. This program provides support, advocacy and resource information to grandparents and other relatives raising a family member’s child. The speaker noted that she will be inviting the organization’s representative to give a presentation to the Committee in the fall, and encouraged the Committee members to show their support by signing a petition to change the laws regarding better assistance and recognition for grandparents.