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Council to press for action on DFA, BC Housing

Two previously discussed resolutions, plus two more on insurance and DFA, were adopted.
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Grand Forks council is set to press the provincial government on issues of BC Housing and mental health care over the next six months if some recently adopted resolutions are successful, but have also decided to make reform of the Disaster Financial Assistance and Emergency Programs Act priorities following conversations with local business owners.

At Monday night’s regular meeting of council, council voted to endorse two resolutions presented by Couns. Chris Moslin and Christine Thompson for forwarding to the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments (AKBLG) this April.

Thompson’s and Moslin’s resolutions had been previously discussed, but both councillors made adjustments to their motions before bringing them back to council for adoption.

Thompson said she was grateful for council’s feedback and support on developing her resolution, and also said she had consulted local health care professional Susan Lee on the formation of the resolution and incorporated the feedback into the final resolution.

Thompson’s resolution reads, as adopted:

“Whereas substance use, particularly drug addiction, is considered a mental health issue; And whereas smaller communities do not have many of the supports required to assist those wanting to recover from addiction and detox followed by immediate rehabilitation is necessary in order to recover and the wait time between the two can be up to three months;

Therefore be it resolved that the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions be encouraged to fund more detox and rehabilitation centres throughout the Province, particularly in rural and remote communities.”

Moslin’s resolution reads as follows:

“Whereas the City of Grand Forks has been devastated by a recent flood and is challenged to protect and to rebuild its downtown core as a vibrant commercial area; And whereas the basic principle of Community Charter is that municipalities and the Provincial government should foster cooperative approaches to matters of mutual interest; And whereas BC Housing failed to consult Council about the location or size of supportive housing facilities before land was purchased and designs chosen;

“Therefore be it resolved that BC Housing seek local government’s approval before land is purchased for supportive housing initiatives.”

Council also decided to add late resolutions to the agenda for adoption, following a meeting with what Mayor Brian Taylor described the Eastside business owners.

The resolutions read:

“Whereas many small business owners in rural British Columbia have many different household income sources; and whereas many small businesses form a critical part of rural communities because of the employment, taxes and services they provide; therefore be it resolved that the Province change the Emergency Program Act and the Disaster Financial Assistance program to better address the needs of rural British Columbia’s small business owners.”

And: “Whereas many property owners and small businesses were recently affected by floods and fires across British Columbia; and whereas many of those property owners and small businesses were unable to get insurance coverage, were unable to access that coverage in a timely manner, or were denied insurance coverage from their insurance provider; Therefore be it resolved that the Ministry of Finance review insurance practices in British Columbia to identify ways to better serve property owners and small businesses affected by disaster.

Taylor said the last two resolutions were developed as a result of meetings with business owners east of town along Highway 3 and recognizing the businesses were not included in the recent Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund (DMAF) grant recently submitted.

“The group is suggesting we look hard at things we can do to support them as small businesses, they are a critical part of our community, they are an entrance from that side of the community …we are trying to respond to that with our limited resources. One of the things we are able to do is bring resolutions forward to AKBLG,” Taylor said.

These resolutions will go forward to the AKBLG this April, and are expected, if adopted, to go forward to the Union of B.C. Municipalities this fall.