As the Cowichan Housing Association and Lookout Housing and Health await approval of an extension of the temporary permit for the Village on Trunk Road, other communities in the province are observing and considering adopting the model.
Lookout’s Director of Operations for Vancouver Island, Lee King says proper housing is one of the most important steps to take when working with people who are unsheltered and may be struggling with mental health and substance use issues.
King says he received inquiries from different parts of BC and feels “the model is considered to be successful enough that it will be transferred to other communities.”
He says housing is the “chief social determinant of successful physical, mental and spiritual health outcomes,” and the support services offered by the Village, ranging from food, counseling, as well as other assistance, has resulted in a “big change in the folks who come there.”
