Frequently Asked Questions: Crises Response Pilot Project

The Crises Response Pilot Project was approved by council in October 2023, and fully launched in September 2024. This pilot is meant to address the three interconnected crises of homelessness, mental health and substance use.

Below are a series of questions regularly received in regards to the Crises Response Pilot Project. You can click on each question to take you directly to its answer.

What is the Crises Response Pilot Project?

The Crises Response Pilot Project, or CRPP for short, is meant to address three interconnected and complex crises: homelessness, mental health, and substance use.

One of the goals is to develop connections with people who are unhoused and/or navigating mental health and/or substance use.

As staff develop relationships and trust with them, they can better connect them to resources including but not limited to:

Shelter
Supportive housing
Health and social support services.

Some of the other effects of the three crises—such as what residents and businesses and City staff might be experiencing—will also be impacted by this work.

This is achieved by bringing people inside, which reduces issues related to sheltering, open burning, human waste and discarded belongings.

Why has the City Launched the crises Response Pilot Project?

While the City of New Westminster has been active in this area—including as part of its Downtown Livability and Homelessness Action Strategies—it’s become clear it is not just one of these three crises impacting priority populations, it may be two or three.

Homelessness speaks to a number of gaps, including health care, housing, and income support. Additionally, the ongoing poisoned drug epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic further aggravated the situation.

Another part of the reason for putting the CRPP together was to address challenges City staff were facing in a bid to find solutions for related situations. The City of New Westminster’s response to the three crises and the associated externalities have been above and beyond—for instance, the City’s sanitation crews are cleaning up human waste to a degree they haven’t before.

By combining this work under one comprehensive strategy, we can address these crises in a meaningful way that takes into consideration everyone impacted.

What will the Crises Response pilot project do?

The CRPP addresses both immediate and long-term impacts related to the three crises of homelessness, mental health and substance use. This includes:

The creation of the Community Liaison Officer Program (CLOs) to address some of the day-to-day concerns, including blocked doors, open burning, or sheltering.
The establishment of CRT Outreach, meant to connect priority populations to resources—including shelter and food.
The Biohazard Removal Program, which allows Downtown New West businesses to sign up for regular clean-up overseen by the City.
A range of systems related to safety and education so in the event City staff may be required to take on additional tasks that would normally fall outside their purview, appropriate plans and procedures are in place.

The CRPP is also guided by two plans:

Points from these two plans make up the 2025 Crises Response Roadmap.

The Five-Year Prevention, Support and Transition Services Plan aims to reduce the number of people falling into homelessness, decrease the time that people are homeless and better support people while homeless, including preparing them to transition out of homelessness. By bringing people inside and addressing their needs, this will reduce the impacts of the three crises on residents and businesses.
The Ten-Year Supportive and Wrap-Around Services Plan ensures the majority of people seeking shelter, supportive or below-market housing can access it, and that homelessness is isolated and rapidly addressed. It also aims to ensure mental health and substance use supports, including complex care units, are available and can be accessed in a timely way.

Will this project be evaluated?

An independent assessor from Douglas College is responsible for evaluating the pilot. The evaluator from Douglas College presented to Mayor and Council during a workshop in April.

Take a look at the presentation to council. (Note: the presentation starts on p. 36.)

Read the minutes from the meeting.

What improvements will I see as a resident or a business?

There are not enough 24/7 shelter beds and supportive housing units in the city. If the daytime unhoused population is brought inside, this will significantly reduce the impacts of the three crises on the community, including those related to sheltering, open burning, human waste and discarded belongings.

How do I get in touch with a Community Liaison Officer, the Crises Response Outreach Team, or report something that falls under the Crises Response Pilot Project?

Please call the One Number to Call: Community Support Line at 604-527-4502.

What is the One Number to call: community support line?

The One Number to Call: Community Support Line (604-527-4502) is the phone number to use to get in touch with the various components of the Crises Response Pilot Project, including the Community Liaison Officer Program (CLOs) as well as the Crises Response Outreach Team.

What are the hours of operation for the one number to call: community support line?

The One Number to Call: Community Support Line is able to take calls 24/7.

Once i call the one number to call: community support line, how long will it take for staff to respond?

Responses depend on the availability of City staff and whether they are responding to other requests. We appreciate your patience as our staff work to address your concern.

Why is the City recommending permanent supportive housing with services as part of an evidence-based approach to addressing homelessness?

Permanent supportive housing is subsidized housing that includes embedded and wrap-around supports for single adults, seniors and people living with disabilities experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

Support services are offered within the building or by referral from on-site support staff and includes individualized case planning to connect residents to health, mental health, life skills, employment and social supports as needed.

Research has shown overall housing stability for individuals experiencing or who are at-risk of homelessness is significantly improved by permanent supportive housing. This is because residents benefit from the ongoing supports provided to remain housed and improve their overall health and well-being. According to the Elizabeth Fry Society and Lookout Housing and Health Society, 50 to 60% of those currently residing in transitional supportive housing may be unable to transition to independent living in below, or non-market housing. Permanent supportive housing provides access to numerous resources to enable residents to maintain their housing over the long-term.

Reducing homelessness through permanent supportive housing can also reduce the impacts of homelessness on the community. When people experiencing homelessness move into housing, this significantly reduces impacts of the three crises on residents and businesses, included those related to sheltering, open burning, human waste and discarded belongings.

When permanent supportive housing is purpose-designed, such as in the case of Mazarine Lodge and the Rhoda Kaellis Residence in New Westminster, supportive housing can seamlessly fit in the neighbourhoods in which they are located.

Will the housing projects be throughout New Westminster, or just in one area?

The Ten-Year Supportive Housing and Wrap-Around Services Plan calls for an equitable distribution of supportive housing developments across the city and that all neighborhoods will play a role in supporting housing needs.

A selection of project sites should consider access to existing community services for future residents. This includes groceries, health care, pharmacies, support services and public transit.

Why doesn’t the 2025 Crises Response Roadmap advocate for more recovery services?

The 2025 Roadmap focuses mainly on gaps in service for those experiencing the three crises. There is a recognized need for a continuum of health services and supports to address the opioid epidemic and other substance use harms. This includes accessing harm reduction, detox, treatment and supportive recovery, as well as affordable, stable, secure and supportive housing for those in recovery.

New Westminster is home to a Health Contact Centre, which incorporates an overdose prevention site and other harm reduction services. Also known nationally as the Recovery Capital of Canada, this city is home to a number of substance use treatment and supportive recovery residents. As of 2025, the City is aware of 12 related programs.

Why aren’t other levels of government addressing these situations?

While we appreciate the work being done by our provincial and federal partners, the City knows it must take action now.

As we do this work, the City of New Westminster will continue to advocate to senior government to provide resources and services related to housing and support services.

Are other municipalities doing this?

All municipalities are grappling with the three crises of homelessness, mental health and substance use.

New Westminster experienced a 65% increase in homelessness between 2020 and 2023, while neighbouring municipalities experienced increases ranging from 65% to 91%.

Other municipalities are utilizing a variety of mandates and strategies to address their respective needs related to homelessness, mental health and substance use. For example, the Cities of Vancouver and Victoria have similar initiatives, and the City of Richmond also has outreach workers.

What does the City hope to accomplish and when?

The CRPP, which will be funded and evaluated over two years, is guided by a Five-Year Prevention, Support and Transition Services Plan and a Ten-Year Supportive Housing and Wrap-Around Services Plan.

We invite you to read more about the work and both plans on the Crises Response Pilot Project’s web page.

What are Community Liaison Officers?

Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) can address a variety of issues. Some examples include calls related to sheltering or a blocked doorway.

They are a good first point of contact if you are a resident or a business owner experiencing some of the impacts related to the three crises.

Please visit their webpage for more details.

How do I get in touch with Community Liaison Officers?

To connect with Community Liaison Officers, please call the One Number to Call: Community Support Line at 604-527-4502. This number is operational 24/7.
You can also email . Emails are only monitored from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Please note: calling in a request does not mean an immediate response. Response times are dependent on staff availability. We appreciate your patience as we work to address your concern.

The call-taker may ask you to provide the following information:

Your name and your phone number.
An address.
The reason for the call (e.g., you see a tent/structure in the community).
Whether police and/or fire has been notified.
Any other relevant details.

What is CRT Outreach?

CRT Outreach provides assistance, support and referral services to those experiencing the three crises.

Through relationship building and trust, they make connections and suggestions related to resources that may be applicable to someone’s situation, including food and meal programming, health services, identification retrieval, and shelter and supportive housing.

How do I get in touch with CRT Outreach?

CRT Outreach operates Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 4:30pm. They do not operate during holidays.

To connect with CRT Outreach, please call 604-527-4502.
Email:

What is the Talking Circle?

The Talking Circle is an initiative under the Crises Response Pilot Project. Led by CRT Outreach, the goal is to create connections in the community.

Talking Circle events are for those who are housing insecure, and who self-identify as Indigenous. Participants will have access to an Indigenous elder at these afternoon sessions. There are five sessions in total for 2025.

Notice regarding sessions are shared with local not-for-profit and faith-based partners, and also on the City of New Westminster's social media and Citypage newsletter.

Where can I find more details about the Crises Response Pilot Project?

We recommend regularly taking a look at our main CRPP page for the most up-to-date information regarding resources.

The City will also be posting updates related to the CRPP on its social media channels, which include Facebook and Instagram. Updates about the pilot are also shared through our e-newsletters, which you can subscribe to by visiting this page.

How can I provide feedback about the CRPP?

Please submit feedback about the Crises Response Pilot Project to

About the Crises Response Pilot Project
Information regarding the Temporary Use Permit at 502 Columbia St.
In November 2024, the Lower Mainland Purpose Society applied for a new Temporary Use Permit to operate an emergency shelter, either nightly or 24/7, on the lower floor of the former Army and Navy Department store at 502 Columbia Street. The emergency shelter would have 50 beds and serve men and women. A Temporary Use Permit is needed as an emergency shelter use is not permitted under the property’s C-8 (Columbia Street Historic Comprehensive Development Districts) Zone.

Q: Are all municipalities dealing with homelessness?

A: All municipalities are dealing with homelessness which is a senior government responsibility. For context, New Westminster experienced a 65% increase in homelessness between 2020 and 2023, and neighbouring municipalities experienced similar or higher increases: Surrey (65%), Burnaby (69%), Tri-Cities (86%) and Richmond (91%).

Q: It seems that the Downtown has more homelessness services than other parts of the city. Shouldn’t there be more homelessness services outside the Downtown?

A: The City is working with BC Housing on a permanent 24/7 shelter and additional supportive housing outside the Downtown. Also, there are currently 10 extreme weather mats, 24 emergency shelter beds, 20 transition and second stage housing beds, and 81 supportive housing units located in other neighbourhoods throughout the city. The City, through its Crises Response Pilot Project, is working to ensure a more equitable distribution by neighbourhood/sub-area of facilities services and supports addressing homelessness.

Q: Shouldn’t there be more emphasis on longer-term strategies to addressing homelessness such as permanent supportive housing?

A: The City is committed to longer-term, sustainable solutions to addressing homelessness and is working with BC Housing to develop permanent supportive housing. This includes 52 supportive housing units approved and soon to be under construction at 602 Agnes Street and another 50 supportive housing units and 10 complex care units in discussion for a location outside the Downtown.

Q: Will the emergency shelter at 502 Columbia Street contribute to social issues in the Downtown?

A: The continuation of a shelter at 502 Columbia Street will help to reduce the impacts of homelessness, including sheltering in parks and business/residential doorways and recessed areas; open burning to keep warm or to cook; and the presence of discarded belongings and human waste in public and private spaces. A 24/7 shelter would reduce the daytime homeless population by about half, which is when most businesses are operating and when residents are typically circulating in the community.

Q: What is being done to address externalities associated with the emergency shelter at
502 Columbia Street?

A: BC Housing is working on a response plan, which will address aspects related to cleanliness, maintenance, safety and security for the emergency shelter. Additionally, as a condition of the proposed Temporary Use Permit, City staff is recommending the establishment of a community advisory committee, which will engage business and resident interests in a proactive process to address concerns and issues as they arise.

Q: Is the emergency shelter a temporary use or will it become a permanent use?

A: It is recognized that this property will redevelop at some point in the future. The timing is the decision of the property owner. The Lower Mainland Purpose Society has signed a lease extension with the property owner, which now concludes in November 2028. The City is working with BC Housing on the development of a permanent 24/7 shelter and additional supportive housing outside the Downtown. When realized, this will result in the closure of the shelter at 502 Columbia Street.

Q: What is required to realize a 24/7 emergency shelter at 502 Columbia Street?

A: The property owner would have to provide consent to the operator to realize a 24/7 shelter and BC Housing would have to fund building retrofits in support of it.

Q: How would a 24/7 emergency shelter benefit guests?

A: Currently, the nightly shelter operates from 8pm to 8am on a daily basis. If 24/7, this would reduce the need for guests to move about the community at they try to meet their basic needs during the day, including those related to food, hygiene and shelter. Additionally, it would enhance access to services and supports which typically only operate during the daytime.

Q: Was the community aware of the proposed Temporary Use Permit?

A: Consistent with City practice, Council was informed of an application prior to notices going out to properties within 100 metres of the site, and information being posted in online news media. The notices identify the ways in which the public can provide feedback to the City by e-mail or mail. This FAQ has been provided in addition to the City’s typical practice.

Q: Was the community aware of the proposed option for the 24/7 operation as part of the Temporary Use Permit?

A: The City, as part of the engagement related to the Crises Response Pilot Project, has shared information that the Lower Mainland Purpose Society was interested in developing a temporary 24/7 shelter at 502 Columbia Street. This engagement included the https://www.downtownnewwest.ca/https://www.downtownnewwest.ca/, the Downtown Residents’ Association and the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce. Based on this engagement, a number of participants felt that there would be benefit in transitioning the nightly shelter to a temporary 24/7 shelter.

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