Shelter Society granted $1M for recovery beds

Shelter society granted $1M for long-term recovery

New three-year addictions recovery program starts in April south of Port Alberni with six spaces for women

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Port Alberni, BC - The Port Alberni Shelter Society (PASS) has received $1 million in funding from the provincial government for six long-term recovery beds for women. The province recently announced $13 million for more than 100 new adult treatment and recovery beds in 14 organizations for people struggling with substance-use challenges in B.C. The six beds in Port Alberni will be located at the Port Alberni Shelter Society’s new Therapeutic Recovery Community located at the Shelter Farm, about 10 minutes from Port Alberni at 725 Franklin River Road. Wes Hewitt, PASS executive director, said the six recovery beds will be part of a three-year program. “We’re moving towards opening a therapeutic community and generally most therapeutic communities are a two-year or longer stay because it takes time to make a major change in someone’s life,” Hewitt said. “When you come out of treatment at 28 or 45 or 60 days you’ve got hopefully the tools to start to make a change in your life but you need those ongoing supports to make sure that it happens. That’s the idea of recovery beds.” Hewitt said the success rate of recovery and moving toward an abstinence base is much greater if the recovery process is long term. In a PASS report, it states Therapeutic Recovery Communities are proven approaches for treatment of addiction and trauma, and re-entry into the broader community. These communities are a longer-term residential treatment option that helps individuals heal wholly and have success rates as high as 76 per cent. Hewitt said the therapeutic community will open in April and will only be available for six female individuals for now. He said PASS is working with other government agencies and Island Health for referrals for the program. Therapeutic Recovery Communities are free for residents to attend. “Within the recovery model there is education, as in skills and empowering the individual so that when it’s time that they graduate from the program they have a job, something that can pay the bills and they have a home to go to,” Hewitt said. “They’re not just dumped on the street or dumped back into the same situation that they were in before.” There is currently no Therapeutic Recovery Community on Vancouver Island for women in need of support. “We’re excited. We’ve identifi ed gaps in services in the community for years and we’re to fulfi ll those needs and this is one of the things,” Hewitt said. “From fi rst contact with an individual we can now work through everything from housing to treatment to entering back into the community as a productive person in society. Hopefully we can make some positive changes in some individuals’ lives in our

Photo submitted by Port Alberni Shelter Society In April the Port Alberni Shelter Society plans to open six spaces for a Therapeutic Recovery Community at a farm (pictured) the society currently runs south of Port Alberni.

community.” Of the more than 100 beds receiving funding from the province, 46 will be new spaces in existing treatment and recovery organizations. The remaining beds will be converted from private-pay beds to fully funded public ones for people who cannot aff ord private rates and to help cut wait times for public treatment. Funding was allocated in two streams to residential treatment services and supportive recovery services. A news release from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions states the additional beds will increase access to addictions treatment and recovery bedbased services in every health authority by bringing beds into the public system. The beds will also help to address longstanding service gaps for Indigenous peoples, women, rural and remote communities and people transitioning from corrections.

This†online†film†program†will†bring†together†Hesquiaht† Nation†youth†to†learn†film†making†skills†and†produce† short†films†about†community†Elders,†with†a†focus†on† Hesquiaht†language†learning. h=ah=uupac~akukqin†is†Hesquiaht†for†“our†teachings†informed†by†knowledge† holders.”†The†youth†will†receive†h=ah=uupa†“informed†teachings”†from†Elders,† and†will†become†h=ah=uupc~uu†“well-taught.”†

In this FREE program, you will:

•†Learn†how†to†plan,†shoot,†and†edit†a†short†film ††††††††††•†Receive†a†FREE†software†license†for†Adobe†Premiere†Rush ††††††††††•†Receive†a†$100†honourarium ††††††††††•†Get†creative,†make†new†friends,†and†have†fun

We are looking for young people who:

• Are excited to learn fi lmmaking! • Are between the ages 15-30 and from the Hesquiaht Nation • Are available for ALL 6 program sessions listed below • Have access to a smartphone or video camera • Have access to a computer,can run Zoom and Adobe Premiere Rush. The program will run:

March 22 4:00 -5:30pm March 24 4:00 -5:30pm March 26 4:00 -5:30pm March 29 4:00 -5:30pm March 31 4:00 -5:30pm April 2 4:00 -5:30pm

APPLICATION FOR PESTICIDE USE

Pesticide Use Permit (PUP) application #886-0004-21-23 Applicant: Cermaq Canada Ltd., 203-919 Island Highway, Campbell River BC V9W 2C2, 250-286-0022 Application has been made to the Ministry of Environment for approval of a Pesticide Use Permit for the topical removal of sea lice on aquaculture fi nfi sh.

The pest control product Interox® Paramove® 50, active ingredient Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), will be used in the marine environment only in accordance with the directions as per the product label and PMRA. Application of Paramove® will take place in a well boat designed specifi cally for this purpose. Treatment locations are leased from the Province of BC, licence of occupation LF number1403647, 1406648, 1403293, 1408719 & 1405993 located within Herbert Inlet, Millar Channel and Shelter Inlet in the Clayoquot Region, the proposed treatment area totals 5.9ha. Proposed treatment start date is April 19, 2021 with intermittent use over three years ending April 18, 2024. Maps of the treatment area and copies of the permit application can be viewed at Cermaq Canada Ltd. at the address above or visit https://www. cermaq.ca/public-trust/public-reporting. A person wishing to contribute information about the treatment site for the evaluation of this permit application must send copies of the information to both the applicant at the address above and the administrator under the Integrated Pest Management Act at Ministry of Environment; 10470 152 St, Surrey, BC V3R 0Y3 within 30 days of the publication of this notice.

With the pandemic illicit drug fatalities surged, leading to calls for decriminalization and medical alternatives

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

Victoria, BC - Last year was the deadliest yet for fatal overdoses in B.C., and while many are calling for the decriminalization of street drugs, those with a close eye on the crisis are looking to medical professionals to take a larger role in prescribing safer alternatives. For the better part of a decade deaths from illicit drug use rose in British Columbia - until progress with the public health crisis was evident when fatalities dropped by 64 per cent in 2019 to 984. But these positive gains reversed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, resulting in 1,716 illicit drug deaths in 2020, a 74 per cent increase over the previous year. There are now more deaths in B.C. due to illicit drug use than suicide, car crashes and homicide combined, and over 2020 overdose fatalities far exceeded the 901 attributed to COVID-19. “One of the most insidious impacts of the pandemic has been increased toxicity due to disruption on the supply chain for illicit drugs across the country,” said Sheila Malcolmson, B.C.’s minister of Addictions and Mental Health, after last year’s fatal tally was announced by the B.C. Coroners Service on Feb. 11. “We stepped up our response to this emergency in B.C., but the illicit drug supply is dramatically more toxic than a year ago - and tragically, more lethal. Combined with the stigma that drives people to use alone and a pandemic that isolates them even further, you have a recipe for a terrible surge in overdose deaths.” The overdose crisis has hit First Nations particularly hard. In 2019 First Nations people were almost four times more likely to die of a drug overdose than other B.C. residents. Statistics released from the First Nations Health Authority indicate that the pandemic made the situation more severe, as the fatality rate increased to 5.6 times higher than other people in

Province of BC video still On Feb. 11 Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe presented last year’s total of confi rmed and suspected deaths due to illicit drug use. B.C., based on data collected from Janu- has been sketchy, it has had huge gaps in ary to May 2020. it, it has not been attended to in the ways As she presented the latest numbers, that it needs to be done.” Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe emphasized One proven means of preventing more the urgency for widespread change in deaths is off ering supervised locations for how illicit drug use is handled in the drug users, as the coroner reported that province. not one fatality has been reported from “What we’ve seen is decades and de- these sites. cades of treating problematic substance In Port Alberni use of the Overdose use disorder, addiction, as a criminal Prevention Site on Third Avenue dropped activity,” she said. “In many ways the during the early weeks of the pandemic, policies that we have in place, have had but has since returned to high numbers, in place for decades, have been a boon and hours of operation have even been for illicit drug users and illicit drug sup- extended to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days pliers because that’s where people have a week. to go.” “Everybody thinks of an illicit drug During the coroner’s press conference user as somebody who is part of the Leslie McBain of the advocacy group marginalized people. That’s a fallacy,” Moms Stop the Harm noted that the said Wes Hewitt, executive director of the public’s view of illicit drug users has Port Alberni Shelter Society, which runs hindered how governments and agencies the OPS. “There’s a far greater number responded to the overdose crisis. of people that use substances that are “The response to COVID was coordi- working people that have a house, have a nated, and it was strong,” she said. “The career and a job, and are weekend users.” response to drug deaths by toxic supply To attend to the stigma of drug use and free up more police resources, Malcolmson spoke of working with the federal government to approve the decriminalization of illicit drugs. But police have already taken their focus away from drug possession, said Chief Constable Mike Serr of the Abbotsford Police Department during the coroner’s press conference. “We are operating as if simple possession of illicit drugs is decriminalized,” he said. “The role of front-line policing has shifted to a harm-reduction approach.” “The police aren’t prosecuting most average drug users, so I don’t really see that just decriminalization is going to make a great diff erence,” commented Hewitt. “What we need is a combination of decriminalization and a new approach, a better approach, to treatment in dealing with the individuals.” Besides visits, referrals to treatment and opioid antagonist treatment has increased at the Port Alberni site in recent months. Lapointe stressed the role of medical professionals in diverting more users to safer, prescribed medications to shoulder their addictions. She wants physicians to immediately know what to do if a drug user comes to them with an addiction problem. “What is the one thing that could stop those deaths? It is a safe, regulated, legal pharmaceutical supply of drugs that is available to people with substance use disorder,” added McBain. Hewitt is seeing the system slowly change towards more prescriptions for pharmaceutical alternatives. “Primarily we’ve got a couple of doctors, there’s other doctors that are starting to come on board,” he said. But this is not necessarily an easy transition for physicians, cautioned Hewitt. “They have to take training,” he noted. “For the average doctor, that’s just one more thing on his plate. Their practices are generally full, and they’re full with predominantly clients that don’t necessarily need that.”

Rising rental prices add to Alberni’s aff ordability gap

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Port Alberni, BC - Increasing rental and house prices in Port Alberni continue to create an aff ordability gap for low to moderate-income households, but less expensive housing units and multi-family dwaellings are on the way for the Valley. A Housing Needs Report presented to Port Alberni city council on Feb. 22 showed that between 2006 and 2016 the average rent in Port Alberni increased by 37 per cent, but the median income for renters fell by 0.9 per cent. The report also indicated that since 2015 housing prices have increased by about 53 per cent. Information for the Housing Needs Report was collected through Census data, an online public survey through the City of Port Alberni and ACRD and BC Housing. “Through this project we’ve certainly observed Port Alberni continues to experience a unique set of housing challenges specifi c to this community,” said Katelyn McDougall, manager of planning with the City of Port Alberni. “Many people are struggling to aff ord housing with rising rent and purchase prices, low vacancy rates and lower median household incomes. The city is also mostly made up of larger, older single-family homes leaving many people without aff ordable, smaller and easily maintainable alternatives.” According to the report, data from 2016 shows 68 per cent of households in the Alberni Valley are owner households and 32 per cent are rentals. Seventy-three per cent of households have one or two people living in them and 12.5 per cent are single parent households. Almost 70 per cent of housing in the Alberni Valley is single-family homes and 43.5 per cent were built before 1960. “Between 2017 and 2020, 143 singlefamily dwellings were built and 235 multi-family units were built so there has been increasing construction,” said project consultant Rebecca Taylor. “But it is interesting to see how many older homes there are that could lead to another area of unaff ordability if people can’t aff ord to do major repairs to older homes.” Between 2010 and 2020, 700 new residential dwelling units were added to the housing stock in Port Alberni. “Some good news… in October 2020 the rental vacancy rate reached three per cent, which is considered to be the low end of a healthy vacancy rate and this has been an increase from 0.7 per cent in 2018,” Taylor said. “The new developments that have been happening, for example on Burde Street, have helped somewhat with the rental vacancy rate.” Taylor added that a low rental vacancy rate can lead to pressure in the market which would increase rental costs. “That’s why it’s important to have at least some rentals available at any one time,” she said. “Based on the population projections and household projections, it’s anticipated that at least 194 new dwelling units will be required by 2025, which based on the number of new units being built each year is pretty attainable.” At the Feb. 22 meeting council approved the next phase of development for the former ADSS property that will add 10 four-plexes and six duplexes. Another multi-family building was approved for Swallow Drive.

Sharie Minions The Housing Needs Report showed that 41 per cent of renters are in core housing need, which means they are spending more than 30 per cent of their household income before tax on rent and 18 per cent are in extreme core housing need, spending more than 50 per cent of their household income on shelter costs. Taylor said both categories have increased over time, which “is not a great sign.” “In 2016, based on the number of people in core housing need and facing unaffordability, more than 1,000 subsidized or aff ordable dwelling units were required to accommodate those households,” Taylor said. There are currently nine aff ordable housing projects in the planning stages in Port Alberni which would include about 380 units in total, some directed specifi cally to seniors. Mayor Sharie Minions said that despite the number of issues that the report highlights in terms of housing aff ordability, the development occurring in the city is a positive step towards addressing diverse housing needs. “Port Alberni was in the top 10 for number of housing starts in the province last year,” Minions said. “That’s signifi cant for a community like Port Alberni that traditionally hasn’t really had a lot of development. We are really picking up.”

Two groups visit remote location, raising concerns that vaccinated elders could be exposed to COVID infection

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Hesquiaht Harbour, BC – Hesquiaht leadership is raising concerns after two groups of campers were spotted in their territory on the Feb. 14. B.C. Family Day weekend, despite widespread public notices that their territory is closed during the pandemic. In June 2020, BC Parks closed its two provincial parks near Hesquiaht communities. “Due to the COVID-19 response, BC Parks has fully closed this protected area including all related services and facilities,” stated the BC Parks website. “This includes all associated access, e.g.; all facilities, campsites, trails, parking lots, beaches, docks and marine buoys.” According to Hesquiaht Elected Chief Joshua Charleson, he received a report from his forest monitor of seeing visitors during a routine patrol. “He was up patrolling near Stewardson logging camp when he noticed three Tofi no residents being dropped off at the dock,” Charleson told Ha-Shilth-Sa. The monitor, who happens to be a Hesquiaht hereditary chief, approached the visitors and was told that they live in Tofi no. The three visitors had bicycles and were carrying surfboards and dry bags full of camping gear. They left Stewardson Inlet and biked about eight kilometres over a rough logging road to Hesquiaht Point. Charleson said that the road is not maintained and is impassable by vehicles due to washouts and landslides. The forestry patrol noted another boat tied up to the Stewardson dock, but nobody was around. The patrol left the area for a short period of time. When he returned, he witnessed two people boarding the boat and leaving. It is believed they camped somewhere in Hesquiaht territory overnight.

“There were trees cut, branches fl attened down, and the fi re was still smoldering”

~ Joshua Charleson, Hesquiaht Elected Chief

Charleson said the incident was reported to the RCMP Ahousaht detachment. The RCMP responded to Stewardson Inlet, but by the time they got there nobody was around. Charleson said weather conditions were too treacherous to go to Hesquiaht Harbour. On Tuesday, Feb. 16, Charleson’s father Stephen, a resident at Hesquiaht Harbor, went to Hesquiaht Point to investigate after hearing of what happened at Stewardson Inlet. According to Joshua, his father found evidence of recent a campsite. “There were trees cut, branches fl attened down, and the fi re was still smoldering,” said Charleson. He went on to say that it wasn’t just a little campfi re, but that it looked like it had been a big bonfi re. To add insult to injury, the campers left some of their trash behind. “This is very clear disrespect with a global pandemic going on and for Hesquiaht nation,” said Charleson. He noted that two families live in Hesquiaht Harbour representing a total of fi ve people – three of them elders. All fi ve people have received fi rst shots of COVID-19 vaccine and are awaiting second shots. Even though Hesquiaht territories are vast and chances of Hesquiaht members encountering a visitor is low, Charleson remains concerned for his people. “The fear is that it is so remote, if anything was to happen to visitors, the only people to respond would be Hesquiaht residents, potentially exposing them infection,” he said Charleson said Hesquiaht nation is working in partnership with health authorities and provincial parks. They are keeping their territories closed until the pandemic is over and they get the goahead to open from the Provincial Health Offi cer Bonnie Henry. “We are not willing to risk safety of our people,” said Charleson. Hesquiaht First Nation remains in a state of emergency due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. “Hesquiaht First Nation has communicated to the public through various channels since the start of the pandemic that all of Hesquiaht First Nation’s Hahoolthi (territory) are closed to all non-essential and non- Hesquiaht resident travel,” said Charleson. “[We have] gotten to the point of declining entry to our own members to protect our communities in Hesquiaht Hahoolthi,” stated Charleson. “(We) do not want our nation to suff er because of the actions of individuals that believe the closure does not apply to them.” He asked that all people respect the closure. “Our health and well-being are the top priority for us all,” he said, adding that he hopes that one day soon they can happily reopen their Hesquiaht Hahoolthi to the general public. According to BC Parks, anyone found in a closed park will be evicted and could face a $115 fi ne. Most day-use areas will re-open to the public on May 14, 2021.

Photo submitted by Hesquiaht First Nation A group of visitors who said they lived in Tofi no were seen camping near Hesquiaht Harbour on Feb. 14.

Business issues apology for Family Day trespass

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Tofi no, BC – One day after Ha-Shilth-Sa published the story Family Day campers visit Hesquiaht despite pandemic closure, Tofi no Resort + Marina issued a letter of apology to the people of Hesquiaht. On Thursday, Feb. 18, Hesquiaht Elected Chief Joshua Charleson contacted Ha-Shilth-Sa after being notifi ed that two groups of campers were spotted at Stewardson Inlet near Hot Springs Cove, despite widely publicized announcements that Hesquiaht territory is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chief Charleson notifi ed the RCMP who came to investigate, but by then all the campers had left the area. Hesquiaht has gone on record declaring their territories closed to all but residents and essential workers during the provincial state of emergency, which has been in eff ect since March 2020. “Hesquiaht First Nation has communicated to the pubic through various channels since the start of the pandemic that all of Hesquiaht First Nations’ Hahoolthi (territory) are closed to all non-essential and non-Hesquiaht resident travel,” said Charleson. He went on to say that if any of these people had gotten hurt or their boat broke down, it would be up to Hesquiaht people to respond to the emergency, potentially exposing themselves to the virus. On Friday, Feb. 19, Charleson received a letter of apology from Christopher Fehr, General Manager of Tofi no Resort + Marina. Addressed to Hesquiaht Hereditary Chiefs, Hesquiaht community members, as well as elected Chief and Council, Fehr acknowledges that one of the vessels that came to Stewardson Inlet that day belonged to the resort and marina. “On February 14th, 2021 one of our boats was rented out and used to deliver campers to the docks of the Hesquiaht territory. I truly apologize for the risk that this as brought to you and your families,” he wrote. Fehr accepted responsibility for the boat being where it shouldn’t have been. “It is our boat, and therefore our responsibility to manage their destinations and those choices,” he stated. The resort has taken punitive action with their staff and are working to ensure that incidents like this will not happen again. Charleson is grateful that Fehr stepped up and accepted responsibility. He thanked Fehr for taking ownership and for reaching out to Hesquiaht. But in a new twist, Tofi no Resort + Marina received confi rmation that one of its food and beverage workers tested positive for COVID-19. The positive test results came a week after the Family Day weekend, so Charleson feels confi dent that Hesquiaht people are safe. According to Charleson, Island Health told him possible exposure dates at the resort were Feb. 16 and 17. “This is the exact reason we have closed our territories,” said Charleson, adding that the boat came from a place that had a COVID-19 exposure. Charleson says that Hesquiaht has a designated person to check boats that are coming to the community docks. They will take temperatures and information. But with one confi rmed case in Tofi no, locals are left to wonder who has been in contact with that person and if there are more unknown cases and carriers of COVID-19 nearby.