Whereas the Province of BC is experiencing a homeless crisis and the number of individuals experiencing homelessness is increasing; And whereas the number of shelter spaces is not sufficient or lack staff capacity to house our vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness and results in a number of individuals living in encampments; And whereas municipalities are responsible for land use and mental health, addictions and housing does not fall under the jurisdiction of municipalities: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to direct BC Housing to provide management and oversight of encampments in all communities across BC.
Ministry of Housing Homelessness and encampments are an issue in many communities across the Province and can be complex and sensitive to respond to. Addressing homelessness is a shared responsibility, requiring partnership from all levels of government. The Province works across ministries and with local community partners, including local governments, to help people experiencing homelessness stay safe, healthy, and become stably housed with the services and community supports they need. The Province takes a coordinated and proactive approach to responding to homeless encampments. We work across ministries, with BC Housing, health authorities and with local governments to co-ordinate responses to encampments. BC Housing and ministry outreach staff help connect people in encampments to housing, health, income, and other supports. Indigenous partners, community organizations and local staff such as bylaw, police, fire, parks, and outreach workers are key to encampment response as well. Early intervention and strong coordination between partners can help prevent encampments from becoming unsafe for people sheltering and the community. Together, we are developing the Encampment Response Framework as a key action in the Belonging in BC: Homelessness Plan. The Provincial Encampment Response Framework is a resource and toolkit to aid communities in coordinating encampment responses that builds from engagements with ministries, local governments, Indigenous, community and lived experience partners. Communities struggling with homeless encampments can reach out to our ministry at HOUS.Correspondencegov.bc.ca for assistance with partner contacts, available resources, and best practices.