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Wanda Mulholland, Community Development
Coordinator, Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness and Robert Wilmot appeared
before the Committee to discuss the establishment of a ‘Made for Burnaby’
housing solution.
Since
2005, the Burnaby Extreme Weather Response operated by the Lookout Society
opened a shelter for 315 nights, providing 3201 bed nights of which 2726 were
occupied by men and 475 by women. On an average, the Thursday morning
Outreach Resource Centre assists between 100 and 120 people.
Ms. Mulholland advised that persons
visibly homeless are only 20% of the people challenged with homelessness, 80%
are hidden. They are comprised of women, children, seniors, young people, and
college and university students.
Ms. Mulholland provided examples of
three successful models of housing utilized in Metro Vancouver; the Gateway of
Hope in Langley, 3030 Gordon Project in Coquitlam and the North Shore Housing
Centre in North Vancouver. These facilities provide, short stay,
transitional and extreme weather beds, as well as other onsite resources
which include: showers, laundry facilities, meals, medical services,
counselling, addiction and recovery programs, education, training and
computer access.
These three housing models were
established through partnerships with local, provincial and federal levels of
government, local housing service providers, businesses and community assistance.
The speaker advised that in December
of 2015, Minister Coleman committed to funding in Burnaby for shelters. The
Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness has met with BC Housing since the
announcement and has determined that the commitment in principle from BC
Housing is for capital and operating costs for both shelter and transitional
housing. Fraser Health has also committed in principle to the creation of a
‘Made for Burnaby’ housing solution with provincial supports.
BC Housing has outlined the
following criteria:
1. Land to be provided by Burnaby
at no cost through a lease agreement with BC Housing. The City of Burnaby
would still maintain ownership of the land and maintains the property as a
Municipal asset;
2. a Community consultation
process;
3. a rezoning process;
4. municipal support through
incentives such as waiving of Development Cost Charges;
5. that Burnaby actively
support and advocate for the project; and
6.
a
formal ‘Request For Proposal’ process to determine a facility operator.
The Burnaby Task Force on
Homelessness invited Mayor Corrigan, City Council and staff from the Planning
Department to participate in a tour of co-located and permanent housing
resources.
The Task Force also requested an
opportunity to collaborate with Burnaby to establish a ‘Made for Burnaby’
housing solution, to locate a suitable property in Burnaby for housing and to
research successful models of housing.
The Committee thanked Ms. Mulholland
and the Burnaby Taskforce on Homelessness for the services they provide to
the community.
The Committee informed the
delegation that the City of Burnaby and the Province are working with
Ledingham McAllister to develop 180 new, non-market housing units in the
Edmonds and Southgate Village area of Burnaby. The proposed project would
consist of 90 units of non-market family housing to be owned and operated by
BC Housing. The Cedar Place, non-market multi-family development would be
redeveloped to 90 units of new, non-market seniors housing, doubling the
amount of non-market housing in the area.
Arising from discussion, the
Committee introduced the following motion:
MOVED
BY COUNCILLOR JOHNSTON
SECONDED
BY COUNCILLOR DHALIWAL
THAT the presentation be referred to
staff.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
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