MLA Shirley Bond, the Interim Leader of the B.C. Liberal Party, took Minister David Eby to task over his handling of the ongoing dispute between Penticton and BC Housing.

The exchange occurred during the Thursday morning (March 18) sitting of the Legislature, and began with Bond listing the communities of Maple Ridge, Kamloops, Nanaimo and Penticton that have had concerns about the lack of supports for those with drug addictions or mental health issues.

She accused Eby of 鈥渂ullying elected officials,鈥� ignoring their concerns, and cutting funding to Pathways addiction treatment when the city is calling for more mental health support funding.

Eby answered Bond鈥檚 question by laying out the two options he saw following Penticton council鈥檚 decision to reject extending the permit for the Victory Church winter shelter; either the people were emptied out and risk an encampment, or, as the Minister has chosen to do, use the province鈥檚 paramountcy powers to override council鈥檚 decision.

鈥淭he alternative is 鈥� as the member says, and I freely acknowledge this 鈥� to use what are quite draconian provincial powers to override that local decision and continue to operate the shelter,鈥� said Eby.

Those powers will keep the shelter open beyond its original March 31 closure date, until BC Housing has finished construction of the supportive housing project on Skaha Lake Road and is able to place people in it.

The city of Penticton is awaiting the formal documentation from the province invoking the BC Interpretation Act before they decide on whether they go forward with legal action, Penticton鈥檚 Mayor John Vassilaki told Black Press on Thursday.

If the shelter is closed, the 42 residents currently there would be turned out onto the street, which was not an option for Eby and BC Housing.

鈥淚 say to the member and I say to the mayor and council in Penticton: that鈥檚 the only non-negotiable. The only non-negotiable is that we will not go backwards and move people out of shelter back into parks. Anything else is on the table. Let鈥檚 talk about it. Let鈥檚 work together.鈥�

In a supplement to her original question, Bond accused Eby of suggesting that officials in Penticton don鈥檛 care about their residents, and that they were 鈥渟hocked鈥� when the minister decided to use actions instead of discussion with the council on the issue.

鈥淧enticton was shocked when this minister, instead of sitting down and having thoughtful and reasonable discussions about an issue that matters to the local Penticton council and all British Columbians, started to bully and threaten that if they didn鈥檛 listen, it was his way or the highway,鈥� said Bond.

鈥淪o let鈥檚 be clear. Penticton needs 鈥� and so do other communities across British Columbia 鈥� full, wraparound services to support people with mental health and addictions challenges. That鈥檚 what the Penticton council was asking this minister for. Instead, what do they get? Bullying and threats,鈥� said Bond.

Eby said there is no evidence of bullying.

鈥淭he member suggests that because I said if Penticton emptied the shelter out into the park, an encampment would likely result, and that our use of provincial powers could result in a court challenge that would result in exactly that outcome. That we would provide tents and manage, as best as possible,鈥� replied Eby.

鈥淲e have 1,000 tents in a stockpile. That鈥檚 right. We would provide tents to people as a basic shelter from the elements鈥�. The member says that鈥檚 bullying. Well, that鈥檚 just a fact.鈥�

Eby said he had two Zoom meetings with the city.

鈥淯nfortunately, we found something we disagreed on. That was whether or not we should go backwards and dump 42 people out into a park. I will not withdraw that. That is a disgraceful decision.鈥�

I am very sympathetic to municipal leaders in the time of COVID, facing addiction and mental health issues that are more visible than they鈥檝e ever been. Our government is very sympathetic 鈥� We cannot go backwards. That鈥檚 the only non-negotiable.鈥�

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