Woodwynn founder asks for new hearing
Richard Leblanc acting without authority of society that runs therapeutic farm, chair says
Woodwynn Farms’ executive director is fighting to save its therapeutic treatment centre, asking the B.C. Supreme Court for a hearing to extend a foreclosure action for the Central Saanich property.
But it appears that Richard Leblanc, who founded the program to deal with addictions and homelessness, acted alone when he filed the 104-page affidavit in court on Tuesday.
Teri DuTemple, chairwoman of the society that runs and owns the 78-hectare farm, said she was not aware of the application until informed by the Times Colonist on Wednesday.
“I am very bothered that as a member of the society that he is performing these actions without the knowledge of the board or the rest of the members,” she said. “That’s very concerning.”
The West Saanich Road property is facing foreclosure because no money has been paid on the mortgage or toward interest, states the numbered company holding the mortgage. The total owed is more than $5.3 million.
The Creating Homefulness Society, which owns the property, is planning to sell the land to pay off the mortgage.
DuTemple said the board has heard from real estate agents and from potential buyers of the land, but it has not been listed with an agent.
A meeting is set for March 3 for the 10 members of the society to vote on the future of the property, she said.
Leblanc said he is seeking an emergency meeting with the property’s mortgage holders and with the board members of the society.
He said Wednesday there was limited time to respond to the foreclosure action filed on Jan. 17. He was named in the suit, along with the society.
As far as his relationship with the board, he said, “we are not perfectly aligned at the moment.”
The Creating Homefulness Society has been trying for nine years to establish a long-term therapeutic treatment centre at the site for people dealing with addictions and homelessness.
About 60 residents have lived and farmed there over the years. Today, there are three clients at the farm, Leblanc said.
The society has been frustrated in its attempts to build housing for clients on the farm.
B.C.’s Agricultural Land Commission and Central Saanich have turned down its applications, and the municipality posted eviction notices in December on trailers citing safety concerns.
Leblanc is working to keep the program alive at its current location, saying it is needed because B.C. is in the midst of an overdose crisis.
He is looking to B.C. Housing, hoping that it will step up to back the program.
“We implore the board of directors of the Creating Homefulness Society to meet with the B.C. Housing representatives, as the consequences of not exploring this avenue has serious consequences to those suffering and their families,” says his affadavit.
The document included a copy of a Thursday email from a B.C. Housing official who offered to speak to the society’s board to answer questions regarding the government agency’s support.
Woodwynn wants to first scale up to 40 clients, then 96, states a Jan. 23 letter from Leblanc to the province, included as part of the affidavit. “We are in discussion with B.C. Housing to donate the housing and amenities necessary for this expansion.”
Local businessman Rob Reid, who once chaired the society’s board, believes the program is worth saving.
He said in an email that the “bigger question is if the various government ministries could work in a co-ordinated fashion to tackle what they refer to as a ‘crisis.’ ”
“We are attempting to hold a town hall meeting before the end of the month to see if anything in the future could change,” Reid said.