Dear editor,
Re: Still no winter shelter as record-breaking cold spell hits the Comox Valley (Jan. 17 Record)
To quote Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells, 鈥淣ormally a faith-based group would step forward鈥� we haven鈥檛 had people stepping up in organizations that have the space.鈥�
And Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA: 鈥溾�e need the community to find the location that will provide the shelter to people鈥︹��
I am angry. Why does it fall on 鈥渇aith-based organizations鈥� to provide for the homeless? Many people do not belong to such groups. But they do pay taxes. Our tax dollars are paid to the municipalities, the province, and the federal government, not to 鈥渇aith-based organizations鈥� or volunteer groups, who don鈥檛 have the budget to respond in an appropriate manner. We expect action from our elected officials, not procrastination.
The problem is not going to go away and the homeless are not going to go away, no matter what various levels of government wish. It will be worse next year. It is the responsibility of our elected officials to find a temporary solution, and then a long-term solution, not pass the buck.
Start working on it now and stop waiting for 鈥渇aith-based鈥� or other organizations to do it for you.
If governments of all levels had started a program in previous years instead of ordering 鈥渟tudies,鈥� a solution may have been found, instead of searching frantically for a shelter in October of 2023. What we probably need is a purpose-built facility, so why not get it started?
This is a national, if not international problem, and we need thinking outside the box.
J. Gould,
Area C
