The Aboriginal Housing Management Association is the new operating partner of the Nawican Friendship Centre and emergency homeless shelter in Dawson Creek.
The Nawican Friendship Centre is a gathering space for urban Indigenous families and community members, and has operated in Dawson Creek for more than 50 years.
Association manager Stacey Bourque met with city council on Monday to share findings from an assessment of issues and community concerns collected over the past six weeks.
Bourque said they want to reduce gaps in care for vulnerable people, including those suffering from addiction, but also want to address community complaints about public intoxication and substance use.
“People are struggling with compassion fatigue,” she said.
The city, RCMP, Northern Health, the South Peace Community Resources Society, and business owners are among the groups that the association has consulted, explained Bourque.
A formal complaint system and mitigation strategy are being drafted by the association, said Bourque, with the goals of community safety and supports for the unhoused.