Premier Andrew Furey says the new task force on homelessness will get all players on the same page toward eliminating it.
Furey called ministers, councilors and community sector leaders together Thursday morning, citing what he called the “evolving discourse” over the previous 24 hours.
“As a result of the meeting, we will be striking a task force of two government level and one stakeholder to ensure that we have appropriate information sharing, appropriate resources, and an appropriate operational plan to help execute.”
The key will be the collection and sharing of general information about the wants and needs of the homeless, particularly within the tents behind Colonial Building.
The province also plans to set up a new facility to expand access for the homeless, as well as supportive shelter in the short term, while longer term solutions are explored.
The Opposition parties, meanwhile, are dismissing the task force as a reactionary rush-job.
“This looked like a hastily-called news conference with a hastily put-together task force to do something that should’ve been done months ago,” said PC Leader Tony Wakeham. “But this is a provincial issue. This is a failure on behalf of the Liberal government to have a strategy to deal with housing, to deal with affordable housing in the province.”
And not to be outdone, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Pollievere also weighed in on the issue, blaming the prime minister for the crisis.
Pierre Poilievre
He says under Trudeau rent and mortgage payments have doubled and homelessness has skyrocketed in this province, claiming inflationary deficits and taxes are driving up the cost of living, forcing millions of Canadians to food banks and more and more middle class people into homelessness.
“Common sense Conservatives will axe Trudeau’s inflationary deficits and taxes and bring back homes Canadians can afford so our people can live in dignity once again.”
