Dear Editor:
As the sun sets over Penticton, tents and makeshift shelters begin to dot the landscape of the once idyllic town situated in the heart of the beautiful Okanagan Valley. Homelessness has become a growing problem in Penticton over the past few years, and it’s not just the locals who are feeling the impact.
The divide the issue has created within the community has become increasingly palpable. Residents and business owners alike are growing frustrated with the lack of action from local officials, while the homeless population feels abandoned and forgotten.
According to the Penticton Salvation Army, the demand for their services has increased by 50 per cent over the past year alone. This rise in homelessness is attributed to a variety of factors, including the lack of affordable housing, mental illness, addiction, and job losses.
However, the influx of homeless individuals in Penticton is not just a local issue. It’s starting to impact tourism in the Okanagan Valley, which serves as a major economic driver for the region. As the number of homeless individuals grows, so do the concerns of potential visitors to the area.
While some may argue that homelessness is an issue impacting many cities across North America, the situation in Penticton seems particularly dire. Tensions have been mounting between residents as well, as certain neighbourhoods have become inundated with tents set up on public property.
The situation is reaching a boiling point, with community activists and politicians calling for immediate action to address the growing homelessness problem in Penticton. As winter approaches, the urgency to get individuals off the streets and into safe, warm housing is more important than ever.
The division within the community has left many feeling helpless, not knowing how to address the issue in a constructive and compassionate way. Some argue that providing more affordable housing and mental health services will alleviate the problem in the long run, while others call for harsher measures to remove the tents and force the homeless population out of the area.
Council has requested a review of the supportive housing facilities in Penticton to be submitted prior to a development application for additional supportive housing. However, BC Housing says it has already submitted a development permit application to the city so that construction can begin, with the permit granted in 2021, and now sits unused. It’s unknown if the requested review is underway, but any results have not yet been submitted to city hall.
Meanwhile, the city’s safety and security advisory committee is drafting guidelines for shelter and supportive housing locations, including the release of a draft map of “no-go” zones. The committee will make a recommendation to city council which has the ultimate authority to accept and adopt the guidelines. The city is embroiled in a dispute with the provincial government after BC Housing invoked paramountcy powers to keep a downtown emergency winter shelter open, against the city’s wishes.
The city is considering filing an injunction against the province in court, which could cost taxpayers up to $300,000 in legal fees.
The shelter is currently operating without a municipal permit.
Before he was premier when David Eby was the minister responsible for housing, he said the shelter would remain open until the Skaha Lake Road supportive housing facility was built, much to the dismay of local business owners, and those who fear their safety is in jeopardy as altercations with the homeless population become increasingly more hostile.
The reality is that homelessness is not going away anytime soon, and it’s starting to impact the local economy as well. Penticton, which relies heavily on tourism, risks losing potential visitors if the issue is not addressed in a meaningful way.
Jeremy Piesinger
Summerland
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