Rally for supportive housing
There is a petition circulating in Powell River that is calling to halt the new supportive housing and permanent shelter from starting construction. This petition states that the community was not adequately consulted or assured that this housing wouldn’t negatively impact the community.
What the folks who are sharing this petition seem to forget is that consultation for this housing occurred in 2024 (5000 Joyce Avenue Community Engagement Report 2024) and that this project was originally supposed to break ground in 2025. Of course, the Westview Ratepayers were against this housing being built right away (see “Society asks City of Powell River to delay supportive housing” The Peak, October 9th, 2024), and considering we are having the same conversation about the same project two years later shows that they did, in fact, succeed in getting it delayed.
There are people in Powell River who have been homeless for years, and rumours that hoards of people are being “bussed in” from other areas remain unproven. 71% of the respondents in the 2025 point in time homeless count have lived in Powell River for 5 or more years, and 61% first experienced homelessness as a youth. (Powell River 2025 homeless count report ) The supportive housing that was built in 2019 has been successful at stabilizing and housing people long term and now has an approximately four-year waitlist. We do not have the capacity to house everyone who needs housing, especially considering that 78% of the homeless population are living on social assistance, which allots a measly $500 per month to go towards rent.
BC Housing has also provided adequate evidence that housing first works well and hasn’t been shown to have negative impacts on the surrounding communities, which you can read about at the following links, which were included when the community engagement report was published:
Community acceptance overview.
Supportive housing resident outcomes.
Community benefits of social housing.
To respond to those who say “not with MY tax dollars”: housing people with on-site supports costs less than leaving them homeless and repeatedly relying on shelters, hospitals, ambulances and policing. Treatment and pathways to independence should be available and voluntary but requiring sobriety as a condition of housing can undermine long-term recovery, while stable housing gives people a foundation to improve their health and pursue recovery. The calls for all supportive housing to be “dry” being entirely counter to the evidence, is outlined in this summary of a recent study out of UC Berkley The University of Toronto found similar outcomes.
We know that Powell Riverites are kind and in favour of supportive housing overall, and that the loud naysayers are taking up a lot of space with their complaints. In fact, the Peak published an article saying just this (“Poll: BC/Powell River residents support non-profit housing solutions” The Peak, September 18th, 2026) and we would like to show the unhoused community that they are cared for and not everyone is working to withhold their basic human right to safe and secure shelter.
There is a rally planned for ahead of this week’s council meeting where the petition will be presented, and once again, the ask for this much needed and already delayed building to be halted for a second time. If you are in support of this project, and of more investment in affordable housing in general, please join us at City Hall on Thursday September 24th, starting at 5:30pm (council meeting starts at 7pm) to hold a peaceful counter rally. Feel free to bring signs, drums, wear your Every Child Matters or harm reduction shirts, and take a stand for our marginalized neighbours. Housing is a human right, and human rights do not come with preconditions. Write a quick letter of support for this housing and send to info@powellriver.ca, and share this event with local friends and family.