The recently released homeless count continues to reverberate through out local social service organizations.
Ron Merk from the Port Alberni Community Action Team said he was shocked to see our homeless population increase by 30% within 2 years to 163 people, and he was horrified to see the majority are from First Nations.
“I think it’s around 60% of the homeless people who are identifying as Indigenous and considering that 10% of the population in Port Alberni is Indigenous that’s horrifying to me,” he said.
The results were from a point-in-time homeless study conducted in different communities earlier this year.
In Parksville Qualicum the numbers are up by 18% from 87 to 103 while in the Comox Valley the number of homeless people has more than doubled since 2020, increasing from 132 to 272.
He said permanent housing is the best solution for helping people turn their lives around.
Comments