A strong relationship between the City of Powell River and Tla’amin Nation depends on open communication, mutual respect and a willingness to work together. The Community Accord provides a foundation for that relationship, with regular meetings to help keep conversations and connections current. We won’t always agree, but we can work through our differences and keep residents informed.

Powell River needs a coordinated approach that balances compassion with accountability. By bringing outreach, housing, health services, bylaw enforcement and the RCMP together, we can connect people with appropriate help while addressing unlawful behaviour. Dry housing, a managed outdoor location and voluntary assistance returning home could help restore safety while providing better pathways forward.

Supportive housing can provide stability, but different models provide different results. Lift’s “Housing First” model has left the community with serious questions about its effectiveness for those living within these facilities and how it is affecting the community as a whole. People struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, and financial hardship need support, but that support has to be effective for the individual while ensuring community safety. There needs to be an overhaul of the system before we repeat past mistakes.

The negative effects of Lift’s supportive housing initiatives have been extensive in our community. They have affected our emergency services capabilities, increased costs to the city for cleanup and repairs, and contributed to growing concerns about theft and public safety. Some have even left these facilities for the woods raising questions to the effectiveness of the current model.