As Victoria grapples with the rising downside of homelessness on the streets, a brand new report reveals imposing town’s ban on daytime sheltering will show expensive to taxpayers.
The report, introduced to metropolis council this week, discovered doing so would add $4.7 million per yr to town’s working price range.
The lion’s share of that, $4.13 million, comes within the type of elevated labour for bylaw and cops. One other $150,000 pertains to gear, whereas $420,000 pertains to different prices comparable to autos, insurance coverage and coaching.
“Police and bylaw, they’re very gifted folks they usually don’t come cheaply — as they shouldn’t — in order that’s an enormous value,” Victoria Coun. Stephen Hammond mentioned.
Hammond requested workers to give you the numbers this summer season, as town responded to rising security issues after a paramedic was attacked whereas responding to an encampment on Pandora Avenue.
He mentioned he wasn’t shocked on the magnitude of the price, however that it leaves town in a troublesome monetary place, with council already making an attempt to trim spending to restrict property tax will increase.
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If town had been to totally fund the initiative, it might add the equal of three per cent to subsequent yr’s property tax hike.
“Municipalities, we don’t have the cash, we don’t have the experience, and we don’t have the jurisdiction,” he mentioned.
The report offers strictly with the price of imposing town’s daylight sheltering bylaws, and doesn’t tackle the a lot bigger value of discovering shelter or housing for town’s unhoused.
Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto has been vocal of her criticism of neighbouring municipalities, who she says aren’t pulling their weight in relation to sheltering the area’s homeless.
Alto mentioned the province additionally must do extra to work with cities to deal with the basis causes of homelessness, not simply the signs.
“I believe it’s vital to focus on that the report did say — as have police and bylaw and folks who’re chargeable for this — you’ll be able to’t police or implement your approach out of homelessness,” she mentioned.
“There may be additionally an vital want for us to put money into the upstream preventive work that offers with the gaps in supportive housing, social providers, well being care, all the explanations that precipitate why folks discover themselves with out housing.”
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon mentioned the province is already engaged on addressing the housing and shelter wants of town.
He mentioned the province had already opened 740 models and had one other 240 on the best way.
However he mentioned cities have their half to play as nicely, and that the province steadily meets pushback to proposals for supportive housing.
“The issue we all the time have is the place (to place the housing),” he mentioned.
“Victoria, the regional district, all people wants to return collectively and establish places, as a result of we from the province are prepared to speculate extra.”
Hammond and Alto mentioned nothing has been determined at this level.
Councillors will spend the winter vacation break contemplating their choices earlier than they return for price range talks within the new yr.
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