Correspondence (g): Letter dated June 16, 2018 from Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness

Re: The Our Place Therapeutic Recovery Community

We are writing in support the Our Place Society’s ongoing work to open a Therapeutic Recovery Community at the former Youth Detention Centre on Talcott Road in View Royal, Victoria, BC.

On behalf of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness Society (Coalition), I am pleased to confirm our support of the Our Place Therapeutic Recovery Community. We believe that the proposed program meets an identified community need and fills an existing support service gap for those individuals struggling with substance use challenges. Moreover, we believe this program will help to foster individual change and promote positive growth, thereby enabling participants the opportunity to embrace pro-social behaviors and transition successfully back into society.

The Our Place Society is ready to take on this exciting and needed new enterprise. Their entire management team has taken Therapeutic Recovery Community training, raising knowledge and experience across the entire organisation in additional to having an in-depth knowledge of the site and facilities. They have community support, with thousands of grass roots donors and supporters for their work on homelessness in our community. This project is the right step forward and leverages all the strengths of their organisation to deliver this new program.

If we are going to tackle the causes of homelessness, projects like this one are essential as it will play a key role in keeping individuals out of prisons and hospitals. By dealing with the root causes of addictions and isolation, this project will have long term impacts for individuals as well as for the community.

With this therapeutic model, we can transform people’s lives and break the cycle of homelessness and incarceration. This project will draw people off the streets and give them the help they need, making long-term and lasting change possible.

We hope Our Place Society will be successful in receiving the necessary P-4: Regional Institutional Zone and associated Zoning Bylaw amendments to facilitate the use of a Therapeutic Recovery Community and associated accessory uses.

Sincerely,

Don Elliott Executive Director Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness