‘April 10,2019 Ref: 245662 Andrew Wilkinson, MUL Vancouver-Quiehena ‘5640 Dunbar St Vancouver BC VEN 2W7 Dear Mr, Wilkinson am writing to correct inaccurate statements you have made to median the past week about the existing and planned supportive housing in Maple Ridge. You sad that people need supports including “onsite managers 24 hours a day, by having people providing addictions services, by having doctors and nurses going by the locaton, proving the Services” You also suggested that those services were not avallable and that “the Provincial Government i basicaly putting people in boxes and saying it's all about housing. And they're ignoring the addiction sue.” ‘These statements are not accurate. In fact, our modular supportive housing provides the exact type of support you outline. very new supportive housing project delivered through the Rapid Response to Homelessness program Isstaffed 28 hoursa day, 7 days @ week, by tained and dedicated staff. Each buliing includes bath ‘onsite supparts and connections to additional specialized supports avallable In the broader community. ‘These supports vary from one buldng othe next because they ae tallored tothe needs ofeach resident. For some residents, thse supports may focus en education and employment traning to tenable people to better access employment opportunities; in other cases, some residents may need 2ccess to mental health and addictions services, Inthe case of Maple Ridge—the focus of your remark recent —a seven-day-2-week nurse position will be shared across all three Maple Ridge housing sites operated by Coast Mental Health. Thisisa professional resource to adéress primary health, mental health, and addiction challenges, depending on the needs of individual resents. The nursing poston wil also work closely withthe community-based health series offered by Fraser Heath. This postion will support residentsin thelr treatment and recovery journey. a ee gnc[Andrew Wilkinson, MLA, Page 2 | was also disappointed to hear you mention the deaths of two individuals who were living in Royal Crescent supportive housing, Both individuals ha pre-existing health conditions —one ha terminal cancer andthe other hag heart failure. It is inaccurate to imply that these deaths were elated to the living situation a modular housing, and unfair tothe fami grieving lost loved anes. 1 hope you wil not reference their deaths again as away to criticize this housing. | hope you will not continue to repeat these inaccurate statements, and, Fgven the opportunity, wil clarify the cord, The hundreds of staff working tielessy in these buildings, many of which ae in ‘communities represented by members of your party, deserve to have the work they doin supporting ‘the eesdents ofthese buildings recognized, and not mischaracterize. ‘These homes are already sucessfully helping more than a thousand people transform their lives, and helping to strengthen and support communities across the province. | belive thet you share my desire to buld a better British Columbia for al residents ofthis province, and know tat the work we are doing providing these homes s doing just that—oth across the province and in Maple Ridge Sincerely, “4 Selina Robinson