The navigation centre to open in Nanaimo is designed to help Nanaimo's long-term homeless. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

NAV CENTRE

Nanaimo secures first navigation centre on Vancouver Island

Sep 15, 2020 | 1:13 PM

NANAIMO — A new, 60-bed supportive housing centre is coming to Nanaimo.

The city was selected by the province to have the second navigation centre in British Columbia and the first on Vancouver Island.

Lisa Bhopalsingh, manager of community and cultural planning with the City, told NanaimoNewsNOW the $4.5 million facility is a different approach to sheltering the hard-to-house.

“It’s not a typical shelter, it’s something where there’s careful consideration through BC Housing about who goes into the shelter. Getting more people with acute health needs safely housed with a place to be 24/7 has a positive impact on our downtown area and businesses.”

Bhopalsingh cited a partnership with Island Health delivering a range of services as a key reason to be optimistic about the project.

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“We know once people are stably housed the RCMP see a big impact in their calls for service. Somebody who has a place to be 24/7 has the opportunity to seek the help they need without calling on emergency services as frequently.”

Nanaimo city council lent its support to the project in early September, sending a letter of support to the province.

A specific site for the centre has not been determined.

Bhopalsingh said there are a number of challenging factors at play when the City and organizations try to disperse different health and housing facilities throughout Nanaimo.

Parcels of land not requiring a substantial rezoning process or money for alterations is a key determiner of where housing is built.

The $4.5 million from the province will be spread out over three years.

The navigation centre is expected to open in spring 2021.

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