City of Powell River, qathet Regional District and Tla’amin Nation are seeking community input for a regional housing needs assessment.
According to a media release, a survey was launched on August 25 to hear people’s experiences with housing in the Powell River region. The assessment is an important step in identifying what type of housing currently exists and identify future needs, the release stated.
“Housing means something different to everyone,” stated regional social planner Kai Okazaki. “We want to hear from our community on where the gaps are in housing now to prepare for future needs.”
The province requires each local government in BC to complete a five-year housing needs assessment by April 2022. To meet this requirement, the city was successful in receiving a grant from Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) to conduct this work, in coordination with the other governments, according to the release.
“There can be significant barriers and challenges for people of all backgrounds and abilities to find housing that is adequate, suitable and affordable,” stated Okazaki. “We hope that our efforts in community engagements, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will bring diverse voices to the conversation on housing.”
The community survey is available to complete at participatepr.ca for all residents living in the regional district, city and Tla’amin. The survey will be available until September 25.
