The challenge of homelessness in B.C.鈥檚 rural areas needs a closer look by the province to avoid a 鈥渙ne-size-fits-all鈥� approach.

That was the thinking from FVRD Chair Jason Lum at the UBCM Housing Summit last week, after the new $12 billion Homes for People announcement, that will see new regional response teams to quickly help those experiencing homelessness get housing.

With more than a dozen entrenched encampments in just one FVRD electoral area, the problem has been spreading in the Chilliwack River Valley and other rural areas of the Fraser Valley, he said.

鈥淚n terms of cost, it can be significant especially for the smaller electoral areas,鈥� said Lum.

Along with the $12-billion to deliver more housing faster, the provincial government also recently unveiled its 鈥楤elonging in BC鈥� plan to prevent and reduce homelessness by adding 3,900 new supportive-housing units and 240 complex-care spaces in B.C.

鈥楤elonging in BC鈥� features new 鈥渕ultidisciplinary regional response teams鈥� designed to remove encampments and better support the unhoused to move inside with more housing options.

In terms of solutions and what FVRD would like from the province, 鈥渢he most important thing is to make sure it鈥檚 not a one-size-fits-all solution,鈥� Lum said.

For years, most of the homeless camp cleanups have been undertaken by volunteers. Last month the province announced $200,000 to cleanup abandoned camps in the Chilliwack River Valley.

Lum said rural communities and regional district electoral areas are simply not equipped to take on homelessness.

鈥淲e heard a lot about challenges with homelessness in the larger urban areas,鈥� he said.

鈥淏ut the discussion that I think falls between the cracks a little bit is the discussion around what happens in the rural areas, the electoral areas.鈥�

B.C.鈥檚 new rapid response teams are being modelled on what they鈥檙e doing on the ground in big urban centres like Victoria and Seattle.

鈥淲hat I鈥檇 like to see is a commitment to work with the rural areas,鈥� Lum added.

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