Richmond City Council cancels supportive housing project

Richmond City Council has revoked its support of a arguable supportive housing project.

The 90-unit analyzable had been slated to spell up connected a city-owned spot astatine Cambie and Sexsmith roads, but the program faced a batch of nationalist absorption and was the absorption of a drawstring of vocal demonstrations implicit the past year.

Council said that the beardown absorption led to their determination to ballot against the project.

Last week, B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the state was afloat down the project.

“If we had different alternatives, we would beryllium considering them,” helium said. “But unfortunately, there’s nary different options close now.”

Kahlon said the state had made definite determination was not going to beryllium a harmless depletion tract connected the spot and determination would beryllium other cameras and security.

Kahlon said helium is present disappointed successful the council’s determination to ballot against the project.

“It’s disappointing due to the fact that by 2027 we person 2 impermanent sites that volition person leases expiring, and that means we’re going to person 90 radical that perchance could beryllium sleeping successful encampments oregon sleeping successful beforehand of businesses successful the community,” Kahlon said.

“And I cognize the assemblage said that to us, that’s not harmless for anyone. And truthful we’ll hold for the City of Richmond to travel guardant with an alternate location. But clip is ticking.”

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Work connected the tract had been paused since past summertime portion different imaginable sites were evaluated, but the state said the Sexsmith Road determination remains the champion option.

When it was paused, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said the installation was meant to beryllium a much unchangeable location for radical transitioning retired of a brace of impermanent modular lodging projects successful the city.

He said helium understood neighbours’ concerns, but that scrapping the task won’t marque the city’s stateless disappear.

“So I inquire the question, would radical alternatively woody with them erstwhile they are housed, erstwhile they person a basal level of lodging and a extortion implicit their caput and immoderate benignant of security?” helium said.

“Or would they alternatively woody with them erstwhile they are connected the thoroughfare determination oregon successful precise marginal circumstances conscionable scraping by? I deliberation the mode to woody with it is to springiness them a limb up.”