Whereas in 2017 service providers were mandated by BC Housing to operate all shelters as minimal barrier aka low barrier; And whereas this is a deterrent to accessing shelters for those individuals who are trying to maintain a clean and sober lifestyle, or for women and children fleeing violence, as they are forced to share shelter space with individuals dealing with active addictions under this policy: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to direct BC Housing to ensure that its policies support adequate shelter space throughout the province for those individuals needing to be sheltered in a safe, clean and sober environment.
Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing The Province takes a Housing First approach to preventing and responding to homelessness, which means providing people with safe and secure shelter first so they can then access the supports and services they need to move forward in their lives. This approach includes providing the necessary range of immediate shelter and housing supports to protect the most-vulnerable people in communities across the Province including people with substance use and mental health issues and women and children fleeing violence. Minimal and low-barrier shelters are a key provision to protecting the most-vulnerable people in the spectrum of housing and shelter need namely in communities where only one shelter might exist or the complex needs of people experiencing homelessness are significant. BC Housing is the crown agency under the Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing responsible for the Emergency Shelter Program, which provides: emergency accommodation a safe, secure place to sleep; facilities for hygiene; the provision of nutritious food; office and meeting spaces to enable case planning and programming for clients; where possible, space for primary health provision; and provision of accommodation with as few barriers as possible to allow more people access to services. BC Housing also provides design considerations to make shelters more inclusive and accessible for distinct needs groups, such as women-only spaces, specified areas where women and children are accommodated, accessibility for people with physical disabilities and impairments, inclusive signage and spaces for LGBTQ2S and welcoming spaces for Indigenous people. BC Housings operating agreements for shelter providers require that all shelters need to meet the minimal shelter standards, including the provision of harm reduction supports and providing shelter services to clients experiencing substance use. There is an established need in the Province for shelters and supportive housing that address the needs of key groups of people in a restriction-free environment. The exclusion of people with substance use or mental health issues could lead to deteriorating health and harm. BC Housing has found abstinence-based facilities create barriers for those using substances and are counterproductive to addressing the problem of homelessness. BC Housing encourages all shelters and supportive housing to be fully accessible to ensure the most vulnerable people are brought inside.