A Foundry BC site in Nanaimo was expected to help kids of all ages find the right kind of care they needed to succeed. (Foundry BC)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

under one roof

Province passes on one-stop shop to help youth poverty and mental health issues in Nanaimo

Feb 11, 2020 | 7:32 AM

NANAIMO — A much-sought after provincially-funded site won’t come to Nanaimo to help the areas many social services.

The City of Nanaimo was not included on a shortlist of cities which were being considered for a Foundry BC site.

Such a site is designed to bring various youth services under one roof and simplify the often confusing process of getting help.

Several such agencies, like the mid island branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island and Kw’umut Lelum, banded together to create an expression of interest to the province for a Foundry BC site.

The relationship building between all of the involved agencies to bring a Foundry BC site to Nanaimo was underway since late 2017.

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Jason Harrison with the mid island branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association told NanaimoNewsNOW at the time a Foundry BC site would help service providers take a more preventative approach to mental health issues.

“Engaging people much earlier before their concerns and struggles take root, diverting them into healthier ways of being…so we can ultimately end up having them off the streets or in types of distress,” he said.

The shortlist of communities being considered was whittled from 40 to 19.

Sites are possible in Port Hardy, the Comox Valley and the Cowichan Valley.

Two Foundry BC sites already exist on Vancouver Island in Victoria and Campbell River.

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