The quest to find a spot for Mission’s new homeless shelter and supportive housing complex won’t take as long as it has in Maple Ridge, based on what Mission Mayor Randy Hawes says.
In Maple Ridge, the process has taken a year, with still no site selected, although the MLAs have named a committee to do that.
In Mission, B.C. Housing, local groups and the municipality will choose a location for a $15-million, 40-bed shelter soon, likely before the May 9 B.C., election, said Hawes.
“That’s actually how most cities roll, just not Maple Ridge. It’s disheartening,” said Mayor Nicole Read.
“If we had converted the Quality Inn, we would have most of our homeless population housed,” by now, while a $15-million permanent shelter could be underway, Read added.
“Now we’re sitting in an absolutely brutal situation and watching our neighbouring city go through it, no problem. How sad that their MLA (Maple Ridge-Mission MLA Marc Dalton) is the same MLA that’s opposing it here in Maple Ridge.”
About 30 of the 40 residents of the temporary homeless shelter on Lougheed Highway are moving to the Ridge Meadows Ministries Salvation Army. where they’ll sleep on mats in the cafeteria for six months, until an interim and permanent shelter location is found.
Read, though, said it’s critical of the process used by the MLAs to select those on the citizen’s shelter committee that will find a location, saying there was no terms of reference for choosing members.
And she’s skeptical of the process for determining the operator of the shelter or supportive housing complex, whenever it’s built.
Services have to be decided by the experts who know what care is needed, she added.
“I don’t think B.C. Housing is calling the shots on this anymore.”
B.C. Housing, in 2016, twice suggested possible sites for a shelter, the Quality Inn and 21375 Lougheed Hwy., only to have the government and the MLAs reject them.
It’s not certain when the MLAs’ committee will select a location in Maple Ridge.
Salvation Army does good, but it doesn’t work for everybody, particularly when connecting street-entrenched people with services to get them into housing, Read said.
“I think they had a chance to prove that and we ended up with a homeless camp.”
Hawes, a former Liberal MLA, though said that Mission council is united on the shelter issue.
“I don’t think the same thing can be said for Maple Ridge at the moment,” he added.
“You have a split council.”
He said Read has become involved in the election, saying that she wants a change in government.
Read, who’s not a NDP member, said she “absolutely” supports NDP candidates Lisa Beare and Bob D’Eith.
The Liberals have done good work, but, “It’s too much. I think we need a change.”
