People struggling to find homes in Castlegar are expected to benefit from a $112,000 provincial grant that will fund three different projects.
The city’s share of the funding is part of a $15 million provincial fund intended to address homelessness.
City manager Chris Barlow says the money will be split among three projects locally, including a housing outreach pilot program to be delivered by the Castlegar and District Community Services Society on behalf of the city.
“It’s designed to help people who are homeless find rental housing and connect them to resources in the city,” he says. “It’s for everybody in Castlegar having difficulty finding housing that may not be advertised.”
A portion of the funding will also replace 10 bunkbeds at the Way Out Shelter.
The rest will go toward hiring a facilitator for one years to help the Castlegar integrated services collaborative, where a number of organizations and agencies supporting the vulnerable population have teamed up.
Barlow says a request for proposals for the facilitator is out now, the shelter beds should be purchased soon, and they’re working on a memorandum of understanding for the housing outreach program with community services. He expects it to start within the next month, but wasn’t sure whether it will require hiring additional staff.
This grants were only available to local governments, through the Union of BC Municipalities. Nelson received $221,000 and Trail $179,000