A new task force hopes to pull the trigger on many initiatives designed to curb the homelessness crisis afflicting Nanaimo.

By Spencer Sterritt

task force

Another City group created to tackle homelessness in Nanaimo

May 15, 2019 | 1:11 AM

NANAIMO — With many groups already working on ways to tackle the increasing issue of health and housing for Nanaimo’s most vulnerable, a task force is now in place to bring about concrete action.

The one-year task force was approved by Nanaimo councillors on Monday, May 13 as a way for them to put various solutions to the homelessness crisis into action.

Community and cultural planning manager Lisa Bhopalsingh said the City has many initiatives, such as the affordable housing strategy, action plan to end homelessness and Nanaimo homeless coalition, which need a group to make solutions happen.

“The idea of the task force is to prioritize and look at immediate things,” she told councillors. “To really look strategically at all the overlapping issues and provide some direction as to what the focus should be in the short-term.”

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Coun. Sheryl Armstrong expressed reservation at the idea of another committee or group tasked with tackling such a complex issue.

“I think there’s lots of community group already doing this. To me it’s just another study. We’re not taking action. I’ve sat on six in the last three years and nothing ever happens.”

City efforts also work alongside the provincially funded $100,000 community action team, which includes stakeholders like Island Health and Harris House. It’s aimed at curbing the number of fatal overdoses in Nanaimo.

Many councillors, including Erin Hemmens and Ian Thorpe, also said they were concerned about the scope of the task force.

When asked what makes the task force any different from a committee focused on social issues, Bhopalsingh said it will be fully staffed, unlike the Nanaimo homeless coalition, and will also include executives from key organizations like Island Health, BC Housing and Snuneymuxw First Nation.

She said those on the task force will be leaders who are in a position of making decisions and bringing about change, versus hearing ideas and taking them back to the organizations.

“It’s action we’d be looking for from this task force,” Bhopalsingh said.

The task force is expected to take up a significant amount of time in the relatively small City department. There’s one social planner in the department, who’s also involved in numerous other projects.

“This work is going to impact our ability to move forward on some of our major projects in the time frame we’d hoped to, including the official community plan review,” community planning director Dale Lindsay told councillors.

“The reality is this is a significant issue in the community and one that deserves staff attention.”

The task force is expected to cost roughly $2,500.

Coun. Hemmens and coun. Don Bonner will represent the City of Nanaimo on the task force.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit