B.C.’s Housing Minister Christine Boyle has rejected Nanaimo City Council’s request to make a new supportive housing building on Terminal Avenue drug and alcohol-free. The city council had urged the province to implement a ban on substances, citing concerns from the local neighborhood and residents in recovery. Councillor Erin Hemmens explained that individuals who have gone through treatment find it difficult to stay in housing with visible drug use, which can jeopardize their recovery. However, Boyle emphasized that B.C. Housing follows the “housing first” model, which prioritizes providing stable housing with harm reduction and support services, rather than enforcing sobriety. She pointed to the Sparrow project in Nanaimo, which offers 24/7 support but isn’t fully dry, to demonstrate the province’s approach.
Boyle explained that relapse is often part of recovery and people should not lose their housing due to setbacks. The current homelessness count in Nanaimo stands at 621, with city estimates closer to 1,000. Boyle stressed the need to balance community preferences with the actual needs of the unhoused. The Terminal Avenue project is still in development, with two buildings planned for 50 studio apartments and 34 affordable homes for low-income individuals.
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