Homeless people are not being bussed in to Quesnel as some part of decade-long conspiracy, says Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson.
While there is no great scheme to turn Quesnel in to a vagrant’s dream, the Mayor did admit the city has a growing problem.
Simpson says that, like most urban centres in BC, Quesnel is seeing an increase in homelessness, panhandling, squatting, and vagrancy.
He says that all of those issues are a result of underfunded social systems blocking residents from accessing the supports they need.
Simpson also pinned some of the problem on the on-going opioid crisis in the province.
According to the Mayor, the City is currently working with a number of partners to tackle the core problems.
In the works are plans to increase mental health and addictions supports, deploy more street level resources, add more childcare spaces and youth supports, and the development of a comprehensive housing strategy.
