The City of New Westminster is embarking on a 2-year ambitious, leading edge, pilot project to alleviate homelessness here. This project also focuses on working on the mental health and substance use issues among the vulnerable. It's called the Crisis Response Pilot Project. 

Susan Millar – Local Journalism Initiative

In this video - the first of two on this subject – NewWest.tv's Susan Millar talks to the City's Senior Social Planner John Stark and Deputy Fire Chief Brad Davie about this project. For the past few years, they and others have been working to set up this pilot project for success.

Finding homes for everyone is the ultimate goal. In fact, it is THE solution for the city's vulnerable and for making it a livable city for all, as they see it. But it is a goal that will take a few years and will require buy-in and funding from senior levels of government ultimately. They are working hard to achieve those ends.

It will be a step by step process. In these early stages, they have set up front-line people to work 'on the ground' to help vulnerable people. The project has developed collaborations with a host of business, resident, community and social organizations, and the Fraser Health Authority to get the project moving in the right direction.

They are working to turn overnight shelters into ones that operate 24/7. They are advocating for housing for the homeless, and in fact, already there are shovels in the ground in one downtown location. They are working to create a centre where the homeless can come to socialize and meet with health professionals. They are stepping up programs that go beyond helping people in crises to providing medium and longer term solutions for them. 

The Crisis Response Group have also been working on policy development and advocacy. They have connected with other municipalities to see what they're doing. They have met with senior levels of government to start the advocacy work. And they have been doing a lot of research.

In short, they have been busy. In this first video of two, you will get an overview of this ambitious pilot project – the longterm plans and the steps to get there. The second program in this two-part series will look at the project from the point of view of residents and the business community. It will also look at the day-to-day issues of the homeless and what is being worked out to help them now.

Of course, the end result of this ambitious project is not locked down – so much depends on the results of work done in the community and buy-in from the provincial and federal governments and other organizations and agencies.