Dear Editor,
A recent flyer from the "Comox Valley Taxpayers Alliance" opposes bylaws aimed at addressing housing insecurity, using fear instead of facts.
But fear is not who we are. We are a strong, compassionate community 鈥� one that supports our neighbours instead of turning our backs on them.
The people experiencing homelessness in the Comox Valley are not outsiders. They are former classmates, coworkers, and friends who have fallen on hard times. Some are seniors who can no longer afford rising rents. Others are single parents trying to keep their children safe. The myth that they are being "transported" here dehumanizes people who have lived and worked here, just like the rest of us.
Rejecting these bylaws won鈥檛 make the issue disappear. It will only create more suffering, more visible encampments, and higher costs for taxpayers. Studies show that when communities invest in supportive housing, crime goes down, emergency service costs decrease, and local businesses benefit.
The Taxpayers Alliance also criticizes the Alternative Approval Process (AAP) as undemocratic, but the AAP is a cost-effective, legal process that helps municipalities gain approval for certain bylaws without the high costs of a full public vote. Their argument about saving tax money is contradicted by their opposition to a process designed specifically to reduce costs.
The real question is: What kind of community do we want to be? One that turns away those in need鈥攐r one that takes care of its own? If we want a safer, healthier Comox Valley, we must support solutions rooted in compassion and facts鈥攏ot fear.
Meghan Merrick
Courtenay
