Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has released the following statement in response to the homelessness situation in Nanaimo:

“Recognizing the urgent need to provide housing for people who are camping in the City of Nanaimo’s downtown core, the Province has purchased property at 250 Terminal Ave., so we can rapidly deliver 80 units of temporary workforce modular housing. The city is also providing land at 2020 Labieux Rd., so that we can open another 90 units of temporary housing.

“We want to facilitate an end to the tent city by getting people into safe and stable homes as soon as possible. The workforce modular housing has been purchased and is on its way to Nanaimo, and both projects will be open by late November 2018. These buildings will provide safe, secure temporary housing while more permanent housing can be built in the city.

“We are calling on the city to commit to the planned phased approach to the closure of the camp. This phased approach would involve increased security and monitoring of the camp while campers remain at their current location until the housing is open. Any other approach would force the campers to scatter throughout the city while they wait for housing, which would not be in the best interests of either the campers or the community of Nanaimo as a whole.”

A backgrounder follows.