An additional $625,000 will be provided for phase two of the Nanaimo Homelessness Community Response Initiative, in addition to the $2.5 million grant received last year for phase one. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

additional support

More grant money from the province for Nanaimo’s homelessness community response

Aug 25, 2022 | 5:30 AM

NANAIMO — The BC Government has provided another grant to the City of Nanaimo to help deal with unhoused individuals as fall quickly approaches.

A total of $625,000 will be provided for phase two of the Nanaimo Homelessness Community Response Initiative, which began in August 2021 when the City received a $2.5 million grant to tackle ongoing challenges.

Almost all of it was spent or committed by the start of August 2022, with the money being devoted to things like temporary housing, cleaning programs and security.

Just under $50,000 remained unspent or uncommitted as of Aug. 8, with Mayor Leonard Krog saying the cash has been essential to dealing with these issues in the past year.

Over $1.64 million went to temporary housing projects, which included the purchase of three, four-plex trailers, and the rental of six units across Nanaimo.

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Security services cost over $350,000 while the City’s shower and urban clean-up programs, funded to the end of 2022, costing approximately $104,000 each.

A June 30 deadline was given to spend the originally $2.5 million, but they were granted a 12 months extension.

The Province said in a news release they are investing more than $15 million into community-led projects which provide services to this marginalized community.

Outreach and mental-health support, creating new temporary shelters, and expanding current shelter availability.

The Strengthening Communities’ Services Program is open to all municipalities, regional districts, Island Trust, and modern Treat Nations in B.C.

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