Fort St. John’s Council Response Committee on Housing and Emergency Shelter (CRCHES) will present its findings as they finalize a strategy to address homelessness.
The committee, formed in September of last year, comprises of councillors Trevor Bolin, Sarah MacDougall, and Gord Klassen who have engaged with the community, RCMP, and local businesses to better understand the root cause and its impact on the city.
A homeless count conducted in 2023 identified 102 individuals experiencing homelessness in Fort St. John, with 40 of them living outside or in makeshift shelters.
Of those surveyed by BC Housing, 37% did not have sufficient income to support housing, while 30% lost housing due to substance use issues. Another 23% were involved in a conflict with a spouse, and 20% had mental health issues. Notably, 56% of those surveyed had been homeless in the community for a year or more.
In a report set to be presented to Council on February 24th, the committee says that homelessness can affect anyone and is often caused by systemic barriers such as financial, health, and societal challenges.
Housing supply is also a posing an issue, with vacancy rates dropping to 6.3% in 2024, leading to increased rental rates that pose a significant challenge for those on fixed incomes.
The committee is seeking council approval to meet with housing, public safety, and health ministers to discuss potential solutions, including a Co-op Housing Pilot.
They are also asking that council advocate to the provincial government for additional funding streams to address housing insecurity, including proceeds from civil forfeiture, cannabis and liquor tax, and casino revenues.
In November, RCMP data on homeless-related incidents was released showing there were 257 calls for service between January and October of 2024, all related to the same 10 individuals. There were also 73 calls made to the police regarding homeless camps.
This is compared to over 10,000 case files being looked into over the same period of time.
The city at the time acknowledged that although the incidents make up only a small number of files, the link between homelessness and public safety remains a concern.