One city councillor suggested there should be “wayfinding” in Richmond to homeless camps.
The tongue-in-cheek comment from Coun. Kash Heed at Monday’s committee meeting seemed to be in response to the fact the mayor postposed his motion to look at immediate steps to help the homeless population in the city.
City council was looking at initiatives to increase signage in the city, but this followed on the fact the mayor put off Heed’s motion, saying there wasn’t adequate notice given for his motion.
Last week, city council received updates on what action was taken in 2022 to implement the 2019-2029 Homelessness Strategy.
While the strategy was passed unanimously by council, Heed wanted to have another motion to look at immediate action the city could take to address acute problems rather than just medium- to long-term solutions the strategy deals with.
Heed’s motion, however, wasn’t circulated until the weekend, and Mayor Malcolm Brodie said it would therefore be delayed to the Oct. 16 committee meeting.
There are several homeless encampments in the city, most notably under the Oak Street Bridge where one man was found dead in his burnt tent in early September.
Numbers from the 2023 Homeless Count, which took place in March in Richmond and other cities in the Lower Mainland and across the province, are expected to be published on Thursday.
Heed’s motion calls for a “formal position” to secure care for “the acute drug addiction and/or persons with critical mental illness that are homeless.” Furthermore, it asks that senior levels of government and the health authority are apprised of this “examination” and work with city staff on it.
Heed told the Richmond News city council should be a “catalyst” for helping the homeless population in the city.
“We should be driving this – we’re the closest to the people,” he said.
The motion asks for a report back to city council within 45 days.
