It should come as no surprise to anyone that the number of homeless people is increasing.
The cost of rental housing is unmanageable for many who are trying to live on poverty levels of income. Even folks who have decent jobs find it difficult to find affordable rental housing, so imagine what it is like for those with virtually no income.
The stock of decent rental accommodations continues to decline in Burnaby as ‘renovictions’ and ‘demovictions’ continue.
More people are living on the streets, in cars, in old mobile homes, and, of course, in city parks or treed vacant lots in industrial areas.
This is not just an uncomfortable social issue – it is a life-and-death situation.
Wanda Mulholland, coordinator of the Society to End Homelessness in Burnaby, told the NOW this week that what isn’t covered in the homeless count stats is how many people have died while homeless.
According to Mulholland, since the last count in 2014 (they happen every three years), 24 of Burnaby’s homeless citizens have died, 15 in the last year. Forty-five have died since 2006.
And then there are the young children and teenagers. In this latest count, there were 12 unsheltered and five sheltered children and youth under the age of 25.
Mayor Derek Corrigan continues to point fingers at the provincial and federal governments and believes this excuses his city from directly addressing the situation with a permanent shelter.
So, in Burnaby, the Lookout Society provides temporary shelter at the Westminster Bible Chapel when the weather is extreme. But there is nothing permanent.
Contrast that with the City of New Westminster’s much more humane and holistic view.
In that neighbouring city, there is an understanding that waiting for the other levels of government to do something is really just cynical, political posturing. New West has supported several measures to help the homeless and those transitioning.
But Corrigan has painted himself into an ideological corner he can’t, or won’t get out of. And that’s clearly unfortunate for everybody involved.
