Petition to Stop the Proposed Shelter at 5010 Joyce Avenue
To the Mayor and Council of the City of Powell River:

We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, business owners, and concerned citizens of Powell River, respectfully call upon City Council to stop the proposed shelter development at 5010 Joyce Avenue.

The proposed three-storey development would contain 64 shelter and supportive housing spaces in total. We believe a project of this size would place additional pressure on a community that is already struggling to manage the impacts associated with existing shelter, supportive housing, homelessness, addiction, mental-health challenges, and harm-reduction services.

Many residents have serious concerns regarding public safety, open drug use, property crime, disorder, encampments, fires, and the increasing demands being placed on the RCMP, ambulance service, fire department, health-care system, social services, businesses, and taxpayers.

We are also concerned that continually expanding these services without addressing the underlying causes of addiction, homelessness, and mental illness is not a sustainable or compassionate long-term solution.

Powell River is a small community with limited infrastructure, emergency services, health-care resources, employment opportunities, and municipal tax revenue. There must be a reasonable limit to the number and concentration of shelter and supportive-housing services that our community can safely and responsibly accommodate.

We believe that compassion must include accountability, treatment, recovery, public safety, and protection of the broader community.

We therefore call upon Powell River City Council to:

Immediately halt and reconsider the proposed development at 5010 Joyce Avenue.

Conduct meaningful public consultation before supporting any further expansion of shelter or supportive-housing facilities.
Fully examine the impact existing facilities are having on surrounding neighbourhoods, businesses, emergency services, policing, health care, and municipal resources.
Require greater accountability and transparency from organizations operating shelters, supportive housing, and harm-reduction services within Powell River.
Prioritize treatment, recovery, mental-health care, rehabilitation, employment programs, and pathways toward independent living.
Protect residential neighbourhoods, businesses, parks, schools, seniors, families, and public spaces when making decisions regarding the location and concentration of social-service facilities.
Ensure that the voices of Powell River residents and taxpayers are meaningfully considered before decisions of this magnitude are finalized.
We are asking City Council to listen to the community.

Powell River can be compassionate toward people who need help while also protecting the safety, livability, economic stability, and future of our city.

We respectfully request that the proposed shelter development at 5010 Joyce Avenue be stopped and reconsidered.