Fort St. John committee on housing and emergency shelter meets with local businesses

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John’s Council Response Committee for Housing and Emergency Shelter (CRCHES) was out in the community on June 17th, meeting with local businesses.

According to a Facebook post by Fort St. John city councillor Trevor Bolin on June 17th, the committee completed its third business walk, during which it interacted with local businesses. 

The city council approved the creation of the committee in August 2024 after Bolin approached the council in July 2024 with the idea of establishing a housing and homelessness committee. 

The council consists of Bolin and fellow Fort St. John city councillors Sarah MacDougall and Gord Klassen. 

The committee was awarded the Community Leadership Award for Social Responsibility at the North Central Local Government Association annual general meeting and convention in May, which recognized the city’s response to challenges around housing and emergency shelter.  

Bolin explained the committee meets with businesses that have expressed “the largest amount of concerns with encampments and theft and general unsafe feeling[s] of staff and customers.”

“We would love to come and have a conversation with you,” he said. “We can do it at your place of business so that you’d be able to share those experiences with us,” Bolin said.

He also said he thinks supporting local businesses is “paramount.”

Bolin believes it’s important for businesses to be able to share experiences firsthand with the committee, bylaw staff and the RCMP. 

“The idea behind the committee was not a hard stance of ‘no, you can’t do it, it’s your problem, figure it out,’’ Bolin said. 

“It was working with other community groups, working with the Salvation Army, the manager of community services and [community safety manager] Erin Ferris.”

Bolin said he is “extremely proud” of the work the committee has done and those who have come together. 

“I was blown away by the great response we got [on June 17th],” said Bolin. 

“I’m very grateful for it and this tells me this is not the end of the committee, regardless of what the results are in October’s election, whether we’re there or not,” he said. 

Bolin encourages businesses that aren’t aware of the committee’s work to reach out to any of the three members.

Bolin also reminds businesses to be diligent while remaining safe. 

“The RCMP have a role, you need to ensure they’re allowed to play their role and do their role,” he explained.

Bolin said he hopes the committee has “grown the feet” necessary for it to remain active in the future.