Penticton mayor John Vassilaki is irate after the province含羞草研究社檚 minister of housing, David Eby, called out the city含羞草研究社檚 decision to reject an application to keep a temporary winter shelter open longer than originally planned.
Eby has been vocal critic of Penticton含羞草研究社檚 decision, stating that he fears it will lead to the creation of a tent city.
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Mayor Vassilaki clapped back at Eby含羞草研究社檚 remarks today (March 3).
含羞草研究社淚 think that it含羞草研究社檚 the most irresponsible thing that a minister of the crown would say to any community, especially using fear-mongering in order to get his way,含羞草研究社� Vassilaki said in a phone interview with the Western News. 含羞草研究社淚 will not be intimated by him or anyone else when it comes to the safety and the welfare of the City of Penticton.
Vassilaki voted in favour of rejecting BC Housing含羞草研究社檚 application to extend Victory Church含羞草研究社檚 use as a shelter for those experiencing homelessness for an additional year Tuesday (March 2). The mayor has repeatedly said the safety and security of the Penticton citizens remain among his top priorities.
He said he did speak briefly with Eby this morning but was only given ten minutes to speak and was repeatedly interrupted, leading the mayor to end the call.
Moving forward, Vassilaki is concerned that the housing minister has not stated his intentions to council.
Eby has said that Eby plans to use statutory immunity, which would give BC Housing the power to exempt themselves from local government rules and keep the shelter open.
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 know what his motivation is, I know that that he含羞草研究社檚 very passionate about the homeless people,含羞草研究社� Vassilaki said.
He went on to say that the city has done 含羞草研究社渁 lot含羞草研究社� to help the city含羞草研究社檚 homeless population and that he and council care deeply about Penticton含羞草研究社檚 vulnerable population.
The mayor said the city is still hoping to receive an independent, third-party audit of existing BC Housing sites in Penticton. The mayor has no plans to work with BC Housing until the audit is complete.
含羞草研究社淯ntil they do that there含羞草研究社檚 no use talking to him (Eby) because every-time we do he spins it so it sounds like we含羞草研究社檙e the ones causing problems,含羞草研究社� said Vassilaki.
He hopes an audit will help determine if BC Housing facilities are having a positive impact in helping people work through mental health and addiction problems.
Vassilaki insisted that he and council didn含羞草研究社檛 create a problem by denying the application from BC Housing. He believes the city has not put itself at risk of a homeless encampment becoming established.
The mayor pointed to last April when winter shelters closed yet no encampment was established.
含羞草研究社淲e didn含羞草研究社檛 create no emergency (sic),含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭he emergency was created by BC Housing by coming forward with an extension without a plan in place.含羞草研究社�
The mayor said the city hopes to find a permanent solution to the homelessness issue. It含羞草研究社檚 estimated there are upwards of 150 people living in Penticton without access to shelter 含羞草研究社� 42 of which are currently housed at the Victory Church shelter.
The city is starting to look into areas more suitable for shelter space than the downtown Victory Church location. Vassilaki hopes to establish a permanent shelter space rather than a rotating door of temporary winter shelters.
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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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