Housing Minister Kahlon visits Kamloops, touts importance of supportive housing

KAMLOOPS — Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 18), B.C.’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon was in Kamloops touring a modular building factory. NRB Modular Solutions has four manufacturing plants in Canada, including two in Ontario and one in Alberta.

It was the minister’s first trip to the Interior since receiving the housing portfolio from Premier David Eby.

“I got a chance to met with some of the not-for-profit providers that are supporting the most vulnerable people in the region,” said Kahlon.

NRB has built a trio of supportive housing buildings in the community, including Spero House. Kahlon sees modular options as a key to helping address the homeless issues across B.C.

“My message to folks is, these are people, they’re part of our community, and we need to do what we can to support them. And in that work we have to also ensure that the community is safe. When people are housed, it means the community is safer. That has been the priority for us — getting housing online as fast as we can,” said Kahlon.

The topic of homelessness and community safety has dominated the headlines in Kamloops, especially with the election of Reid Hamer-Jackson. However, Kahlon stated he doesn’t agree with simply moving vulnerable people out of one area of a community.

“This idea that we just move people away to another community or a different area that that will solve the problem is not something that we have seen to be a huge success. We need to ensure that people have the needs addressed where they are,” stated Kahlon.

While the problems being faced in Kamloops are not in any way unique, the housing minister did note some of the issues this community is facing.

“But, we also have other challenges that are pushing more people into desperate situations. Kamloops has some of the lowest vacancies in the province. We need to find ways to get more housing online, so people have the ability to have rental housing available, so they are not being more vulnerable to being homeless and living on the streets,” added Kahlon.

Following the tour, the minister was scheduled to meet with Mayor Hamer-Jackson in the evening.