The challenge of homelessness in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 rural areas needs a closer look by the province to avoid a B次元官网网址渙ne-size-fits-allB次元官网网址� approach.

That was the thinking from FVRD Chair Jason Lum at the UBCM Housing Summit last week, after the new $12 billion Homes for People announcement, that will see new regional response teams to quickly help those experiencing homelessness get housing.

With more than a dozen entrenched encampments in just one FVRD electoral area, the problem has been spreading in the Chilliwack River Valley and other rural areas of the Fraser Valley, he said.

B次元官网网址淚n terms of cost, it can be significant especially for the smaller electoral areas,B次元官网网址� said Lum.

Along with the $12-billion to deliver more housing faster, the provincial government also recently unveiled its B次元官网网址楤elonging in BCB次元官网网址� plan to prevent and reduce homelessness by adding 3,900 new supportive-housing units and 240 complex-care spaces in B.C.

B次元官网网址楤elonging in BCB次元官网网址� features new B次元官网网址渕ultidisciplinary regional response teamsB次元官网网址� designed to remove encampments and better support the unhoused to move inside with more housing options.

In terms of solutions and what FVRD would like from the province, B次元官网网址渢he most important thing is to make sure itB次元官网网址檚 not a one-size-fits-all solution,B次元官网网址� Lum said.

For years, most of the homeless camp cleanups have been undertaken by volunteers. Last month the province announced $200,000 to cleanup abandoned camps in the Chilliwack River Valley.

Lum said rural communities and regional district electoral areas are simply not equipped to take on homelessness.

B次元官网网址淲e heard a lot about challenges with homelessness in the larger urban areas,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淏ut the discussion that I think falls between the cracks a little bit is the discussion around what happens in the rural areas, the electoral areas.B次元官网网址�

B.C.B次元官网网址檚 new rapid response teams are being modelled on what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing on the ground in big urban centres like Victoria and Seattle.

B次元官网网址淲hat IB次元官网网址檇 like to see is a commitment to work with the rural areas,B次元官网网址� Lum added.

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