Two councillors hope to see the city push the province to expedite housing and support for people experiencing homelessness in Victoria's downtown core.
A motion penned by Couns. Krista Loughton and Dave Thompson asks council to consider having staff request B.C. Housing prioritizes supportive housing and shelter spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Victoria’s downtown core through the Coordinated Access and Assessment (CAA) process in 2025. It also asks to have staff work with Island Health to assign a dedicated Island Health outreach support worker with the capability to make referrals to treatment, complex care, and other health-care needs, to work in conjunction with the city’s relocation coordination team.
Currently, Victoria contracts outreach for people experiencing homelessness on a one-on-one basis to secure housing with the appropriate support. Since that work started in 2023, more than 40 people experiencing homelessness in Victoria have been housed, according to the councillors.
“Due to the immediate need to address street disorder downtown, outreach workers could house people faster if the following two support systems were introduced to their process: BC Housing could prioritize people sheltering downtown through the CAA process. The CAA provides a single point of access for supportive housing units to ensure clients are effectively matched with the support and housing that can best meet their needs. Should BC Housing prioritize placement for people sheltering in Victoria’s downtown core, this would open spaces to support housing for people promptly,” the motion reads.
The request comes one week after council endorsed a community wellness and safety plan, with a heavy focus on downtown.
Immediate downtown objectives in the plan include supporting businesses responding to the financial impacts of street disorder while encouraging economic activity, ensuring downtown is safe and welcoming, and encouraging people to visit and spend time there. It includes the short-term plan – this year – to develop a corporate block watch program and invest in amenities like trees, benches, lighting, art and historical markers.
That plan came on the heels of the Downtown Victoria Business Association launching its own call for action while releasing its annual report card on June 12.
Dubbing the 2025 report “A Wakeup Call,” the DVBA demanded action from all levels of government, specifically calling on Victoria to provide more policing and 24/7 bylaw patrols and enforcement to deal with street disorder.
Council is expected to consider the motion during its committee meeting Thursday (June 26) at 9 a.m. Visit victoria.ca to find the agenda and ways to participate.
