The frustration was evident at West 麻豆精选 council Tuesday (July 9) over what it sees as a lack of provincial assistance in dealing with the city鈥檚 homeless.
Several councillors criticized the province following discussion that the pilot Westside Resource Hygiene Centre, planned for Churchill Road, would not be moving forward.
鈥淭he people are still here, they haven鈥檛 gone away,鈥� said Councillor Carol Zanon. It鈥檚 not our primary job it was downloaded on us.鈥�
She added the province needs to step up, asking 鈥淲here is the counselling and healthcare?鈥�
The hygiene centre would have provided showers, washrooms, hot meals and other support to those experiencing homelessness. Mayor Gord Milsom said the centre was a band-aid solution, adding the province needs to take a stronger role in providing assistance.
鈥淵ou hear sort of lip service as far as commitment but are they doing it? No they鈥檙e not.鈥�
The mayor did praised the community organizations that stepped forward to help with the hygiene centre.
鈥淏ut there is only so much we can do as a city. We don鈥檛 have the healthcare expertise.
Coun. Garrett Millsap noted the city received hundreds of responses from residents about the centre's proposed location.
That was also a concern during council鈥檚 June 11 meeting, where it heard that some unhoused individuals were migrating from 麻豆精选.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where the province is funding the resources,鈥� Millsap said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e inheriting 麻豆精选鈥檚 problem on this side of the bridge without the funding.鈥�
He added the province needs to come to the table in West 麻豆精选.
鈥淟ast time I checked we鈥檙e at a giant goose egg over here.鈥�
Council is expected to further address the issue of unhoused individuals during strategic priority planning in the fall.
