Merritt receives grant funding to tackle homelessness

Vulnerable people in 48 communities throughout British Columbia will benefit from increased local services in response to homelessness made worse by the pandemic.

“Local governments have been on the front lines of the pandemic, supporting communities and continuing to provide critical services when people need them most,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “These grants will provide local governments with a much-needed boost to continue vital services that were strained because of the pandemic. This is another StrongerBC program focused on making life better for people and ensuring communities emerge from the pandemic even stronger than before.”

The City of Merritt will be receiving $363,724 through the grant from the Union of BC Municipalities.

The City of Merritt has identified several initiatives that will provide a multi-faceted approach to addressing unsheltered homelessness. In an effort to coordinate and implement all aspects of the project, including transitioning into the future (beyond the funding term), major portions of the project will include;

• Hiring a Housing and Support Coordinator
• Support local Endeavour to be Better Program to offer continued peer mentorship and work experience within the community

“I’m very pleased to see this grant awarded to the City of Merritt. This is an excellent example of varying levels of government coming together to work cohesively to find long-term solutions to end homelessness in communities. The goal with this grant is to provide the city with the required resources to establish successful and lasting solutions, and to improve the health and safety of unsheltered people,” said Mayor Linda Brown.

The program is part of the Safe Restart Agreement, which is funded equally by the Province and the Government of Canada.