The City of Kamloops says work to develop what’s being called a North Shore Access Hub is continuing in partnership with BC Housing and other local and provincial stakeholders.

Social, Housing and Community Development Manager, Carmin Mazzotta, says that site would be more than just a shelter for people in need.

“This is a site that would include daytime space, storage of belongings for unhoused individuals, cultural safe social service and supports, on-site mental health and substance use services and supports and connections to off-site health and social services where required,” he told council. “[It would also include a] supervised consumption including a safe inhalation site given that inhalation i.e.. smoking is now the most common mode of consumption at nearly 70 per cent provincially.”

“The site would also have a strong site and building management with fencing and screening to provide privacy for clients and to reduce impacts on adjacent street frontages. It would also have security cameras and consistent clean up and outreach patrols.”

In a report to City Council, Mazzotta says “recent conversations” have brought the City, BC Housing, Interior Health, the North Shore Business Improvement Association, shelter operators, and non-profit housing providers together to discuss the “immediate need” for shelter services and the broader vision of the access hub.

“The group that recently came together agreed that with winter approaching there is an immediate need for shelter services and property managed day time space on the North Shore, and that a staged approach could be used to build in the additional services,” Mazzotta said.

In April, Kelly Thomson, the outgoing Managing Director of The Mustard Seed in Kamloops, said a year-round shelter on the North Shore was needed, pointing to how busy the extreme weather shelter at the Kamloops Alliance Church was last winter.

“I’d say without question we need it now, let alone next winter,” Thomson said, at the time. “Next winter would be the conversation on whether we do the extreme shelter again and how we look that well.”

“The guests over [at the shelter] were very thankful. They were warm. They were able to come in and have a place to stay and get some food and have someone just to sit and talk with.”

Mazzotta told council that city staff will establish a leadership steering committee to advance this “made-in-Kamloops solution.” At this time, it is not clear when that steering committee will be set up.

“The community partners who came together recently believe a collective approach is needed – something that looks a little different than what we may have done in the past,” he said.

“This is in recognition that local shelter and social housing operators often face a lot of burden in terms of community criticism and backlash for what are, ultimately, systemic issues affecting all municipalities where housing has become out of reach for the majority of the working class and many in the middle class.”

“The intent will be to build the North Shore access hub model while at the same time looking for opportunity to build this model out in other parts of the community where unhoused individuals are situated,” Mazzotta added.

Mazzotta also told council there will be community engagement with neighbouring residents and businesses once a site has been identified.

“We’re working hard at some options and trying to move something forward and having all of the partners at the table is really helpful and that is really all I can say at this time until a site is confirmed,” Mazzotta told Councillor Dale Bass, when asked how realistic a hub would be as discussions have been underway “for years.”

“I would hope that we could lock something down fairly soon but it would be something where we would want to get in front of council and inform council as soon as a site can be secured and then inform the community with our leadership steering committee helping to lead that engagement.”

“Thank you. That’s super news,” Bass replied.