YOUR PERSPECTIVE: The Fraser Valley’s mental health and homelessness crisis

Sep 20, 2023 | 8:00 AM

Over the past few years, I have written numerous times about the mental health and homelessness crisis that we face in B.C. today. It’s a crisis that has been exacerbated by a government that is all talk and no action.

As the MLA for Abbotsford-West, I know this issue impacts many in the Fraser Valley and I know we are all tired of waiting for government to address the serious problem. Many will remember the Lonzo homeless encampment — an area that was, at one point, Abbotsford’s most violent encampment. For well over a year, David Eby and the NDP ignored repeated calls for help from community leaders, the police, and the greater Fraser Valley community to provide a safe alternative for the unhoused. Only a few months ago did they finally commit to decamping the site and announce plans for a 50-bed temporary shelter.

Fast forward to today and not a single one of these 50 beds has materialized. The result is that many vulnerable individuals continue to live on the streets, exposed to the harsh realities of homelessness and struggling with mental health challenges. These beds were promised to provide shelter, safety, and hope to those displaced by the challenging circumstances surrounding Lonzo Park.

In reality, the NDP government’s response has been underwhelming, if not nonexistent. While the site at Lonzo Park is now surrounded by 24/7 security and fencing, this does little to address the underlying issues or provide the support and care that people need.

Worse still, new encampments have sprung up along Highway 1, many on province-owned land, falling directly under the purview of Premier Eby and his government. These encampments are not only indicative of the NDP’s unfulfilled commitments but are also dangerous and unsanitary places for people to live. One encampment that comes to mind is in the middle of an off-ramp roundabout at Clearbrook — a glaring example of the government’s failure to ensure safe environments for the most vulnerable British Columbians.

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Today, I am calling on the BC NDP MLAs representing the Fraser Valley — it is time to deliver on the commitments you made to our community, including our most vulnerable. You are in government, and you have the ability, and responsibility, to do the right thing. The mental health and homelessness crisis in the Fraser Valley is not an abstract problem; it affects the lives of real people every day. It demands real solutions and a government that is willing to fulfill its promises.

It’s clear the government’s management of the Lonzo Park site has been riddled with missteps. The promise of shelter space was misleading, and many are still left out on the streets. The people of Abbotsford-West and the Fraser Valley deserve better. They deserve a government that not only makes promises, but takes decisive action to make them reality — something David Eby has failed to deliver on all fronts.

Last week, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon announced his ‘Safer B.C.’ plan to restore public safety, close David Eby’s revolving door of justice, and put the interests of law-abiding British Columbians first. It builds on BC United’s ‘Better is Possible’ mental health and addictions plan announced earlier this year.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of Fraser Valley Today or Pattison Media.

by Michael de Jong MLA for Abbotsford West

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YOUR PERSPECTIVE: The Fraser Valley’s mental health and homelessness crisis

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