A local committee that recommended a site for supportive housing and a homless shelter wonders if its work will now be lost in a political shuffle.
“We’re in the dark,” said Christine Bickle, who chaired the citizens advisory committee.
“The reality is, they might recycle it.”
Committee members were appointed by local Liberal MLAs to find a place in the city that will not be rejected by residents. However, Doug Bing has been replaced by NDP MLA-elect Lisa Beare in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. Marc Dalton’s future as an MLA depends on him making up 120 votes in absentee ballots, or New Democrat Bob D’Eith will take the seat.
The committee filed its report on the shelter site just before the May 9 provincial election.
Bickle said members had to get their work out there, regardless of the outcome of the election.
“It was about getting it on the record,” she said.
But the proposed site has still not been publicized. B.C. Housing, which is offering $15 million in funding to build the facility, has the report, and both of the outgoing MLAs know the location.
The seven committee members signed non-disclosure statements that preclude them from discussing the site.
Now will their work be for nothing?
“Obviously, who is in government is going to make a difference,” said Dalton. “We’re still counting ballots.”
Even if both local seats go to the NDP, Dalton believes a Liberal minority government could still consider the committee’s report.
“I would think it would still be quite favourably received,” said Dalton. “If we’re still in government, and Rich Coleman is still the housing minister …”
B.C. Housing approves of the site, and Dalton said the committee “did a very thoughtful analysis.”
“It was a very competent group of people, very qualified, and at the forefront of the issue.”
Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read said he committee has not done its work in as transparent a manner as other provincial government committees. She asked for the committee’s terms of reference, and has not been able to get them.
“There’s a lot of concerns around the committee,” she said.
Read is not sure the group’s work will be considered relevant now, after the election.
“It’s a question for our new MLAs, and right now we don’t know who is forming government,” she said.
“It’s not the city’s report, it’s not the city’s committee, so I guess it’s up to the new MLAs to determine what will happen.”
One of the committee members, Jesse Stretch, believes most residents would support the committee’s proposed site.
“We worked tirelessly to come up with a location that would not only suit the homeless and vulnerable people, but also the community at large,” said Stretch.
Bickle said the committee considered 15 different properties, visiting them and considering the pros and cons of each.
“We talked to hundereds of people through the process,” said Bickle.