Dear editor,

With all the discussion by our candidates around the lack of affordable housing and helping the homeless and less fortunate in this provincial election, I couldn鈥檛 help but reflect on our Valley鈥檚 own track record so far.

The Valley has been granted in excess of $1 million dollars from provincial and health organizations to assist us in fighting our homeless problem. Some of those funds actually provided tangible results through a donation to the Dawn to Dawn Society and the purchase of the Braidwood subsidized housing property. Much of the remaining funding was administered through the Comox Valley Housing Task Force which was established in 2011 to 鈥渆nd homelessness in the Comox Valley.鈥�

That task force was chaired by Ronna Rae Leonard.

Sadly, driven by misguided priorities and bad decisions, much of the grant funding was spent on commissioning studies, reports, consultants, forums, logos and so on. The CVTHF didn鈥檛 provide one pair of mittens, bowl of soup, pair of socks or shelter for one needy or homeless person.

When the funding ran out, Leonard鈥檚 Task Force was back asking our local governments for more funding. This time for a jaw dropping $300,000 a year for 10 years. Their proposal to spend the $3 million included hiring a 鈥渉ousing planner鈥� for $94,000 per year or almost $1 million dollars and another $360,000 for 鈥渁dministration, office, and supplies鈥� and 鈥渓egal fees.鈥� Only a small portion of the grant would be earmarked for a 鈥渉ousing fund.鈥�

Thankfully her plan was never approved.

Let鈥檚 hope that our Valley鈥檚 homeless and less fortunate will finally receive the tangible support and assistance they need from leadership that will deliver results, not just hollow promises.

Irene Murray

Courtenay