Nanaimo council hears growing call for dry, recovery-oriented housing at Terminal Avenue site

Community advocates and officials are urging the province to convert the planned 250 Terminal Avenue supportive housing project in Nanaimo into recovery-oriented housing that prohibits drug and alcohol use, ahead of a special council meeting Monday.

The discussion comes as redevelopment plans move forward for the site of Newcastle Place supportive housing, which opened in late 2018 as a temporary facility.

The property is owned by BC Housing and is slated to be replaced with a 50-unit supportive housing building and a 34-unit affordable housing development in the years ahead.

A BC Housing spokesperson said a dry site was planned for 1298 Nelson St., but that project did not happen. The Crown corporation says it is now exploring other sites as a replacement and noted decisions about new supportive housing are based on regional data from its supportive housing registry, housing needs, input from regional health authorities and available capital to decide what type of housing and supports are necessary in a community.

But residents and supporters that will appear before a special governance and priorities committee meeting Monday night say the project should serve people pursuing recovery.

Karen Kuwica, president of the Newcastle Community Association, says the neighbourhood has raised concerns about the scale and type of housing proposed for the site since redevelopment plans were first introduced.

“It’s important not to forget what this neighborhood has been through. There are a lot of people experiencing vicarious trauma because people are in the lowest state of their life, trying to survive and being preyed upon,” she said.

She pointed to the surrounding population, noting many nearby residents are seniors and other vulnerable people.

“Thirty-units would be a more suitable number. But, the development itself would even be better suited for dry housing because the neighborhood, dynamics are that 41 per cent of residents are 65 and older.”

The association says a recovery focused model would not only reduce pressures associated with open drug use but also provide housing for people trying to maintain sobriety after treatment.

“People have experienced repeated safety concerns and significant stress,” she said. “Many have been living with the impact of those experiences for years.”

In a statement, a BC Housing spokesperson said the project will move forward as purpose-built supportive housing with 24/7 staffing, controlled access, and on-site supports, operating within a harm-reduction model.

“Residents of supportive housing live independently and make their own choices, and will be encouraged to access supports. When residents are looking for support or want to access treatment or recovery, staff will support them in accessing those services.”

Nanaimo Coun. Sheryl Armstrong echoed the call for a recovery oriented approach, saying many people in recovery are reluctant to move into existing supportive housing environments.

“Because they’re trying to stay clean,” Armstrong said. “They want to live around others who are working toward the same goals.”

“From talking to many people that have been living around these facilities, they’re scared to leave their yards. They’ve been threatened. They see people overdosing. You see people lying in their own feces. That’s a terrible way for children to have to grow up and live. I also think we also owe it to those that are trying to be in recovery to find them suitable housing.” she said.

Armstrong says a recovery housing model recognizes that setbacks can happen while still supporting long-term success.

“Most people don’t get recovery right on the first attempt,” she said. “If someone stumbles, being in an environment focused on recovery gives them a much better chance of getting back on track.”

The councillor said community feedback has consistently raised concerns about locating affordable family housing alongside low-barrier supportive housing.

Armstrong said council’s request is modest compared with the number of supportive housing sites already operating in Nanaimo.

“We’re simply asking for one facility that takes a different approach,” she said.

The issue has also reached Parliament.

Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Tamara Kronis recently raised the matter in the House of Commons, arguing that people seeking recovery often face substantial barriers when they return to environments where drug use remains prevalent.

“The addictions crisis is not an abstract policy debate. It is on our streets, in our parks, in our shelters and in the lives of families who are praying their loved one gets one more chance,” she said.

“Too many people are trying to rebuild their lives while living beside the very circumstances they’re attempting to leave behind,” Kronis said, adding communities need a range of housing options.

“I am pleading with this government to pay attention and to allocate a share of federal housing funds for sober housing in Nanaimo, because recovery needs more than hope,” Kronis told the House.

The province says it is “working to strengthen pathways between addictions treatment, mental-health services and recovery-oriented housing, so people can access the help they need at every stage.”

Supporters of the proposal hope a strong turnout at Monday’s special council meeting will demonstrate the level of community support for recovery-oriented housing and persuade provincial decision-makers to reconsider the project’s direction.