The New Westminster Crises Response Pilot Project Aims to Tackle Homelessness, Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Like many municipalities, the city of New Westminster is struggling to deal with the ongoing homelessness, substance abuse and mental health crises, but they’re taking a novel approach. 

Based on extensive research and community consultation, the New Westminster Crises Response Pilot Project treats the three crises as related and intersecting, instead of separate and distinct, and seeks compassionate, innovative, and goal-driven ways to address the issues through trauma-informed and culturally-appropriate approaches.

The project focuses on both immediate, shorter-term solutions like sanitation trailers and a proposed inhalation-focused safe consumption site; and on long term approaches like advocating to senior levels of government for additional housing, treatment and shelter spaces. It is also designed to be responsive to data and community feedback, and will adapt accordingly as results become available.

New Westminster City Council received an update on the project on November 18th, and the Crises Response Pilot Project is scheduled to continue for at least the next 21 months.