Homelessness Action Week 2024 Proclamation Statement

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Re: On the occasion of the Proclamation of October 12 – 18 as Homelessness Action Week (HAW) in New Westminster by Mayor Patrick Johnstone

On behalf of the New Westminster Homelessness Coalition Society, I am honoured to express our sincere thanks to Mayor Johnstone and New Westminster City Councillors for releasing this proclamation to mark Homelessness Action Week 2024.

Homelessness Action Week is our opportunity to bring the experience of the unhoused population into focus, to raise public awareness, and to challenge stigma.

People who are unhoused are often the target of stigma or negative and inaccurate beliefs about them. The judgment and discrimination unhoused people often face as a result of this stigma compound the struggles they already experience in trying to get their basic needs met.

The truth is, there are many reasons why people become unhoused, including unaffordable and inaccessible housing, poverty, disability, mental health and substance use challenges, trauma, and discrimination—whether because they are Indigenous, or because of their race, gender, or any number of other, sometimes intersecting, aspects of their identity.

There are many organizations, filled with dedicated individuals, who work each day to address the needs of the unhoused population, including the underlying reasons why people become unhoused, and to mitigate risks to their wellbeing and survival, including the toxic drug supply. Their commitment to doing this difficult work not only addresses the needs of the unhoused population but also contributes to the safety and well-being of all residents of New Westminster.

That said, there is much more work to be done. The ever-worsening housing crisis, combined with an increasingly toxic drug supply, makes this work as challenging as ever. The answer to these problems is not to challenge and ridicule the dedicated people working hard to address these concerns, as we have increasingly seen from many different sources on social media and even from people in positions of power and authority. Rather, we should be focused on empowering these organizations with the resources they need to expand and enhance their work, and thereby better address the needs of our most vulnerable community members.

Recent efforts to expand outreach to unhoused communities on the part of the City of New Westminster, as part of a new crisis response project, and their efforts to expand access to accessible housing options in the city, are commendable and constitute an important start to doing this work. However, we challenge the city, and indeed all levels of government, to take more bold action to address the needs of the unhoused population in this city and across the Lower Mainland.

Examples of short-term steps that could be taken include making the Purpose Nightly Shelter available 24/7 so that residents are not forced to leave during the day, thereby decreasing the likelihood of negative encounters with community members and local businesses when residents lack a place to go. Another short-term action could be the establishment of a resource centre to connect unhoused people with services and support.

Longer-term options that would make a difference include a meaningful investment in accessible and supported housing options for people in the city and expanded access to flexible substance use and mental health treatment options. The government could also further expand access to harm reduction and a safer supply of drugs, rather than leaving people to rely on a toxic drug supply while subsidizing organized crime, which profits from providing this deadly supply.

The answer to making our community a safer place is not to pull back on services or stigmatize and misrepresent unhoused people. It is to redouble our efforts, to be more innovative and bold, and to be led by compassion and a commitment to doing the work that will actually make a difference.

Homelessness Action Week is an opportunity to come together as a city, to inform, educate, and learn about homelessness, its causes, and its potential solutions; to identify and challenge misconceptions about, and stigma toward, those community members who are unhoused; to connect with and welcome everyone in our community; and to reflect on and celebrate the values of inclusion, equity, community, and compassion that form our identity as a city and make New Westminster the exceptional place it is.

We encourage each of you to take a moment and explore the schedule of events for Homelessness Action Week at nwhomeless.ca. Together, let’s show up, get involved, and be part of the change our community needs. Every action counts, and your presence matters.

With sincere appreciation,
The New Westminster Homelessness Coalition Society