Official count urged for West Kelowna

Consultant says accurate tally of homeless 1st step toward addressing problem

An official count of West Kelowna’s homeless population would be an important first step in helping get people off the streets, city councillors heard Tuesday.

Preparing an accurate tally of the homeless is often required to get provincial and federal funding to address the problem, a consultant says.

Other recommendations contained in the consultant’s report to council include creating a daytime drop-in centre for the homeless, advocating for more mental health and substance abuse services, and encouraging the construction of more subsidized housing complexes.

“What we have here is a good first step to go beyond simply paying lip service to a number of issues,” said Coun. Bryden Winsby.

“As we grow up, we have to deal with these issues, and they’re in front of us now,” said Coun. Rick de Jong.

There’s also the suggestion of publishing a comprehensive guide that lists all the social services currently available on the Westside for distribution to the homeless, and building more public washrooms.

The lavatories, consultant Sheila Lewis writes, would help “prevent the fouling of parks and public spaces.”

Lewis was hired by the city to prepare a comprehensive report on “emerging social issues in West Kelowna.” She interviewed representatives of 35 social service providers for her report, including church members who provide free hot lunches, the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, Salvation Army, BC Housing and the John Howard Society.

“There has been an increase in social issues in West Kelowna in recent years such as the rise of visible homelessness, panhandling, youth problematic behaviour, discarded harm reduction supplies (needles) and substance misuse,” Lewis writes in her report.

The rise in homelessness in West Kelowna drew the attention of city council early in 2017, when it was suggested by municipal staff that the opening of an overnight shelter had indirectly increased problems such as drug use, vagrancy and vandalism in downtown Westbank.

A non-profit group, the West Kelowna Shelter Society, operates the winter shelter out of a Westbank church. It hopes to eventually raise enough money to set up a larger, better-resourced refuge for the homeless.