Homelessness is a complex issue. Surveys indicate as many as three quarters of the people who are homeless in British Columbia (B.C.) suffer from mental illness and addiction. Providing a home is only a temporary solution, if the support services in B.C. are not there to help people address the causes of homelessness.

In 2004, the Premier’s Task Force on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Addiction recognized this and funding was put in place to build housing with support services.  Now more than 5,000 new and upgraded supportive housing units and shelter beds are being created under the Provincial Homelessness Initiative.

To protect some of the existing affordable housing stock, the Province of B.C. has acquired 47 properties, including  26 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels across the province. Many of the SROs are now being renovated and on-site support services are being introduced to help people who live there stablize their lives.

A disportionate number of Aboriginal people are homeless and close to one-third of all Aboriginal people living off-reserve live in inadequate or unaffordable housing. To address Aboriginal housing needs the Province of B.C. is developing a ten-year, off-reserve Aboriginal Housing Action Plan and is committed to create new affordable housing for Aboriginal people living off-reserve, through the Aboriginal Housing Initiative.

By providing housing with a range of support services, we are helping those most in need leave the streets and move into stable housing.