Solving Homelessness with the region’s Mayoral Candidates

Our Place hosts panel to engage future mayors in solutions

VICTORIA, B.C. – Over 30 Mayoral candidates throughout Greater Victoria were invited to attend a special evening of engagement surrounding our region’s homelessness crisis.

Six panelists, each with a unique connection to poverty and homelessness, presented stories and solutions that highlight our current crisis and offer solutions. The attending mayoral candidates then participated by responding to the panel and sharing their vision for their municipalities.

“We wanted to engage all the mayoral candidates from all of the surrounding municipalities on this issue,” said Ernie Quantz, chair of Our Place Board of Directors. “This forum will allow us to measure their commitment to addressing affordable housing across the region.”

The evening was held on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at First Met United Church, 932 Balmoral Rd, Victoria.

The six panelists were: Don Evans, executive director of Our Place; Catherine Holt, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce; Shirley Jones, person with lived experience of homelessness; Angela Hudson, executive director of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Vancouver Island; Coreen Child, acting director for the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness; and Terry Willis who has lived experience of homelessness.

The event was moderated by Gregor Craigie, host of On The Island on CBC Radio.