Yesterday in Question Period in the Legislature, Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka (BC United) called attention to Cranbrook’s 300% increase in homelessness since 2018.

He also questioned Premier David Eby about the NDP’s lack of results when British Columbia is dealing with the highest levels of homelessness in history.

“The NDP’s new normal has British Columbians dealing with the highest levels of homelessness in B.C.’s history. In Cranbrook this means a 300% increase in homelessness since 2018. Seven years, two elections and what we get under the NDP’s rules and mandates is downtown cores that are crumbling,” Shypitka stated.

“How can the Premier possibly try to justify a 300% increase in homelessness as a new normal in Cranbrook?”

Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon replied: “This is a challenge we’re seeing across North America. Every single city; every single community has seen numbers go up coming out of the pandemic. Combined with mental health challenges, and combined with that toxic drug supply that is making it even harder for people who are struggling to recover. All these challenges is what we are dealing with on the front lines and that’s why we’re making the investments that we are making.

“In Cranbrook, his community, he’ll know that there’s been a significant amount of housing units that have opened up in his community. His local mayor and council welcomed those investments and those investments just have not been happening. Over the last two decades there was little to no investment made in the communities to build affordable housing. We are going to continue this work, we’re going to bring in things like short-term rentals to get more housing in stock online and we’re going to take other steps,” Minister Kahlon stated.

See the video of yesterday’s exchange in the Legislature.

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