Island MLAs to hit the road seeking input on province's homelessness situation

A public meeting hosted by MLAs to discuss homelessness on Prince Edward Island could soon be coming to your community.

On Wednesday, the legislature's standing committee on health and social development unanimously backed a motion from Liberal housing critic Gordon McNeilly to "seek public feedback on programs, policies and supports for P.E.I.'s unhoused community members."

• Get the news you need without restrictions. Download our free CBC News App. 

While proposing public consultations, McNeilly told the group: "We have to do better as a province to support the community, the unhoused community, and the mental health [problems and] addictions that are facing these communities...

"I think this motion aligns well with the work that we have to do, and I think the public needs to be engaged in that process."

McNeilly said he believes the crux of the issue is a lack of leadership and clear outlining of responsibilities between government bodies. He also said the province is failing to deal adequately with folks suffering from poor mental health, addiction issues and precarious housing. 

'Fiery but productive' discussions

The idea of more public consultation comes on the heels of a public meeting hosted by Charlottetown Police Tuesday evening, which was attended by hundreds of community members. 

McNeilly was also there, as was fellow committee member Green MLA Peter Bevan-Baker.

Bevan-Baker called the issue in Charlottetown unique due to the Community Outreach Centre's location in a mostly residential area close to two schools. 

"I would say it was a fiery but productive two-hour meeting, but this is a very large and complex topic," the Green MLA said while stating his support for McNeilly's motion.

"I think it's time for the public to have a say in this incredibly important conversation."

McNeilly originally proposed soliciting written feedback, but other committee members said they wanted to take it a step further and have the consultations in person in a format that travels around the province.

"I believe that face to face, people will ask more questions," Summerside-Wilmot's Progressive Conservative MLA Tyler DesRoches told CBC News after the meeting.

"Some people don't use the computer every day. Some people are not that computer literate. Our population in Summerside is an aging population."

DesRoches said the attendance at another recent open house in his city proves there is an appetite for the conversation around a lack of services and how the province can do better.

"Some people believe you're not doing enough; some people believe you're doing too much," he said.

"Right now we don't have anything for them. When our police force has to remove them from one of the encampments, they have to offer them a spot in Charlottetown… We don't have nothing in Summerside.

"Not saying that there will be something built, but it is on the front burner and everybody knows that there's a need."

McNeilly said he is concerned about how much time a series of public meetings could take, but he wants to see the public involved no matter what.

"We're dealing with somewhat of a crisis… I'm open to anything," he said.

The MLAs will meet again to flesh out the consultation process, but at Wednesday's meeting four locations for meetings were suggested: Charlottetown, Summerside, and locations to be determined in West Prince and Kings County.

Eventually all of the information solicited will be compiled in a report that's presented to the legislature. McNeilly still hopes that can happen this year.

"We need a plan and we need to go back and figure out where this went wrong," he said. "This is democracy at its finest."