Kamloops mayor wants to send homeless people back to home communities
The mayor of Kamloops is pitching an idea for the City to offer free bus tickets for homeless people to return to their home communities.
Council is set to discuss the motion next week, which suggests the City use surplus grant funds to line up transportation for people "banned" from shelters, supportive housing and transitional housing, according to a motion expected at city council.
Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson has informally suggested the arrangement several times, both before and after being elected. Known for taking to the streets at all hours of the day to speak with people who are homeless, Hamer-Jackson says many have suggested they'd like to get back to their home communities.
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He's now making the suggestion to council, formally asking the City to set aside funding for "experienced outreach workers" to help arrange transportation.
"The team will help people get their identification and help prepare them to travel home or wherever they want to go," his notice of motion reads.
The motion also suggests "Reaching Home Ride Home," "Hearts to Homes" or "No Place Like Home" as possible names for the program.
It's not clear whether there are unclaimed grant funds that could be used for the program yet, but he suggested three possible grants the city already uses for other services intended for homeless people in Kamloops.
The mayor has been steadfast in his efforts to address homelessness in the city, and it was one of his biggest campaign topics ahead of the October election.
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The population on Kamloops streets, however, continues to grow. The newest census of homeless people in Kamloops hasn't been published yet, but city staff say there was a "substantive increase" over the last count of 206 people in 2021, according to a recent report to council.
Council is expected to debate Hamer-Jackson's motion at its Sept. 12 meeting.
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