B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Attorney General David Eby has come out swinging only hours after PentictonB次元官网网址檚 mayor ran ads in newspapers urging the Premier to intervene in the homeless shelter dispute.

The tit-for-tat feud is ramping up again with Eby saying that those running the Victory Church homeless shelter are facing legal threats.

Only hours after the mayorB次元官网网址檚 ad went into several newspapers across Penticton and in the Victoria Times Colonist, Eby has already come out fighting back with a long reply.

The ad Mayor John Vassilaki had paid to put in various papers, including the Western B次元官网网址, urged Premier John Horgan to B次元官网网址榠mmediately interveneB次元官网网址� against Eby exercising provincial powers to keep the Victory Church homeless shelter open.

The city refused to extend the temporary permit for the shelter passed its March 31, deadline, with Eby overriding the city by using the provinceB次元官网网址檚 paramountcy powers.

In the letter, the mayor said the city had a good working relationship with the province on homeless housing until Eby came along.

HereB次元官网网址檚 the rebuttal statement from Eby that was also sent to the mayor and council:

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B次元官网网址淭he Times Colonist recently ran a paid advertisement from the Mayor of Penticton concerning the difficult and ongoing problem of homelessness in his community. Some parts of the advertisement were correct. Some were not.

B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 not going to quibble.

B次元官网网址淭he core of the issue is this: The Mayor of Penticton wants to close a fully occupied homeless shelter in Penticton. This would evict the 42 people who live in the shelter into the street, or a local park. There are no other shelter beds or homes available.

B次元官网网址淭o achieve this goal, the Mayor is supporting legal action against the non-profit that runs the shelter. As a result, the people doing the work of sheltering and supporting the homeless in Penticton are now facing legal threats from the city. I talked to these workers. TheyB次元官网网址檙e kind and dedicated. Just the right people to help those in distress. They could easily give up, but they wonB次元官网网址檛. IB次元官网网址檓 grateful for that.

B次元官网网址淭he MayorB次元官网网址檚 advertisement ran in this Victoria-based newspaper. This is strange, because Victoria is one of the best models of provincial and municipal cooperation in British Columbia right now. Our governments have a signed a partnership agreement to address the homelessness crisis in city parks. WeB次元官网网址檙e reaching a significant milestone this week as the city begins again enforcing park bylaws related to camping, and the final campers move inside to spaces made available by the province.

B次元官网网址淚n PentictonB次元官网网址檚 newspaper, a story ran about the city fencing in PentictonB次元官网网址檚 well-known Gyro Park bandshell. The fence is intended to stop people from sleeping under the bandshell, among other undesirable activities. On the issue of fencing the bandshell to keep PentictonB次元官网网址檚 homeless out, the Mayor blamed BC Housing. He said: B次元官网网址淚 just hope BC Housing is paying attention to the mess theyB次元官网网址檙e creating.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪imilar news stories run regularly in Penticton about homeless structures, tents, homelessness, drug use, poverty, and related bylaw enforcement. TheyB次元官网网址檝e run for many years now. ThatB次元官网网址檚 because Penticton has a serious and interrelated homelessness, mental health and addiction problem.

B次元官网网址淚 try to imagine how this long-term problem in Penticton will be improved if the Mayor manages to put another 42 people out into the street. I wonder how leaving 42 people with nowhere to go at night will make seniors in Penticton feel safer or address crime rates, which is what the advertisement said the Mayor wants.

B次元官网网址淏y contrast, in Victoria a B次元官网网址渢iny homesB次元官网网址� development finishes construction this week. 30 people who currently live in a park will move in this Friday. These homes were built through a unique partnership between the city, a private developer, neighbours, donors, volunteers, and the provincial government. ItB次元官网网址檚 an inspiring example of how partners can work together to lift up people in distress.

B次元官网网址淭he tiny homes site is a pilot project. BC Housing has not joined in on a tiny homes project like this before. Everyone is hoping it will be successful, but thereB次元官网网址檚 always the risk of problems. It is only the strength of partnership that allows us all to take this chance and try something new. Partnership makes it possible to respond quickly to local opportunities. Those 30 people would still be in a park next week if we didnB次元官网网址檛 have a strong partnership with Victoria. Instead theyB次元官网网址檒l be housed.

B次元官网网址淧entictonB次元官网网址檚 residents, housed and unhoused, deserve the benefits of partnership too. My door remains open.B次元官网网址�