Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson was in the line of fire of angry residents at an Oct. 1 meeting in downtown Nanaimo. Social disorder concerns linked to addiction and mental health issues were discussed.

By Ian Holmes

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NANAIMO — Local and provincial leaders got an earful from Nanaimo residents tired of escalating crime in the community.

More than 200 people crammed the Nanaimo Entertainment Centre Tuesday night to sound off on social disorder caused by drug addicts and the mentally ill, while officials attempted to offer a path forward.

Downtown resident Kevin Shaw took direct aim at local MLA Sheila Malcolmson in calling for a sharp rise in local social services.

“We have to abide by the law, we pay the taxes, they don’t have to abide by the law and they can do basically whatever they want.”

Shaw said our judicial system needs to be much tougher on chronic offenders.

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His impassioned speech drew lengthy applause from the crowd at the former Caprice Theatre.

Malcolmson said the province has made investments in affordable housing projects in Nanaimo, which she said will pay off over the next couple years.

“We have inherited a mess,” Malcolmson said. “This is a long time of under investment in the front line, under investment in social services, in mental health, in addictions.”

Several speakers slammed the temporary housing units on Terminal Ave. and Labieux Rd., which included calls for the units to become dry housing.

One woman has a brother living at the Labieux Rd. site, which she said is an environment that’s killing him slowly.

“If our grandmother had dementia would we just let them walk around the street? No. These people cannot think for themselves,” she said.

Other members of the public told stories of their vehicles or businesses broken into several times, costing thousands of dollars and endless frustration.

The crowd was tense throughout the evening. Most of the concerns centered around downtown and the temporary housing units.

People could occasionally be heard yelling “We’re the victims” and “What about us?”

Kareem Hassib, 15, said the hostility displayed throughout the evening wasn’t productive.

“I don’t believe that yelling at each other from across the room is going to help that. We need to have educated conversations about these topics.”

Hassib, a tenth grader at Wellington Secondary, told the crowd it’s important to not dehumanize drug addicts.

Dale Lindsay, the City’s director of community development, and Nanaimo RCMP media liaison officer Cst. Gary O’Brien made addresses and answered questions to kick off the evening.

The City’s manager of community safety Dave Laberge told the crowd crack cocaine and heroin have been replaced by fentanyl as the local drug of choice.

Laberge called the homelessness, drug and mental health challenges in Nanaimo a humanitarian problem.

“What we see now is a level of chaos, illness and instability on the street like we’ve never seen before,” the longtime former Nanaimo Mountie said.

Laberge estimated 500 to 600 homeless people live in Nanaimo, including temporary housing residents. He said about 150 people were considered homeless in Nanaimo in 2002.

Mayor Leonard Krog said an eroded social safety net over several years throughout the province has made its mark in Nanaimo.

“As a society we sat back collectively and watched this happen because it didn’t necessarily impact us, but now that it impacts us everybody wants quick solutions,” Krog said.

Krog said the acute social issues gripping Nanaimo has put a major strain on City resources, including Nanaimo Fire Rescue and bylaw officers.

The meeting was organized by concerned citizen Chrissy Forsythe, who owns a Wesley St. business.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com
On Twitter: @reporterholmes