Agenda Package - City of Vernon

Evaluation of Homelessness Strategy for the North Okanagan
discrimination; increased risk of suffering from violence and abuse; loss of social
networks/connection; and reduced access to many mainstream services and programs.
2.2 Vernon and the Norrh Okanagan
The absence of a universal definition of homelessness and the lack of a comprehensive
census of this demographic cohort requires at best the use of proxies and perceptions to gain an
appreciation of the magnitude of the general problem in Vernon and the North Okanagan region
at the time of the strategic planning exercise." ln that regard, we know from anecdotal
evidence that the numbers of "users or clients" and the apparent level of demand for
traditional homelessness services (URM and JHS by way of example) were increasing in 2007.14
Further, on a perceptual basis the visible numbers of "people on the street" were decidedly
more than the community had witnessed in the past.'s Concurrent with this there seemed to be
greater funding possibilities opening up at both the Provincial and Federal levels, evidence of
which by way of example was the S35,OO0 in funding made available by Services Canada to
undertake a Homelessness Strategic Planning Exercise and the Province of British Columbia's
interest in supporting additional planning/action in respect of affordable housing.
On another level in 2OO7 Vernon and the North Okanagan were still being challenged by
the depth and breadth of the global financial crisis though some positive economic activities
were underway and the news of upcoming initiatives was generally positive: Vernon Jubilee
Hospital Expansion; Sparkling Hill Resort and Spa; Silver Star Ski Resort Expansion; and the 2010
Olympic Games. New business incorporations were up; bankruptcies were down; though
unemployment was markedly up. ln respect of social development there was a growing
dependency on the social safety net (versus the Province of British Columbia) though the
percentage of income assistance recipients had shown a continuing decline since 2001'6; a
tt Certainly a number of jurisdictions have endeavored to accurately measure the magnitude of homelessness (as
they uniquely define the concept). This is not an inexpensive exercise and the outputs are at best limited' Vancouver
for example has undertaken three separate estimates including an attempt to measure the hidden homeless which at
best remains a guess, albeit an educated one. Results Of The Pilot Studv To Estimate The Size Of The Hidden
Homeless population ln Metro Vancouver, May 2009, Margaret Eberle, Deborah Kraus, Luba Serge, Mustel Research.
There is nonetheless some value in the exercise in that the numbers are shown to be increasing and assuming they
broadly capture the correct cohort then we can reasonably assert that the problem is becoming more acute, though
neither the specific problem nor individual remedial efforts can be fairly assessed. ln the North Okanagan the COOL
team has conducted a census of camps twice a year since 2009 and while this number seems to have drifted
downward this is not necessarily indicative that the problem is goinB away but rather it is likely changing.
to " Vernon hos ølwoys hod o homeless problem..n problem thot reolly started to grow in the eorly nineties and
øccelerated ofter thot...." But there was also a spark that ignited a more concerted commitment within the
community and amongst the various agencies to come together in a joint effort to address the challenge. That spark
was ,'o very public concern for the soÍety of cìt¡zens os the homeless populotion becøme more visible ønd more
oggressive." Taken from an interview.
tt ih"r" observations were collected pursuant to those interviews undertaken in the community during project
investigations. They rely on the accuracy of individual "hindsight" and as such are subject to some level of
uncertainty. Regardless inasmuch as each interyiewee consistently confirmed that it was their observation,
experience and belief that the numbers of homeless in the community/region was on the rise at that time it is
unlikely that the situation was otherwise. Further in the summer of 2OO7 the camp-out on the old Sigalet Property in
downtown Vernon would certainly serve to affirm that at some level there was a growing number of homeless.
16 Live Work And lnvest ln BC. Thompson-Okanagan Development Region, 2OOB BC Check-up, Published by the
lnstitute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia.
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Lochaven Management Consultants Ltd.
November 2010
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