Smithers Town Council has voted in favour of applying Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Strengthening Communities Services 2021 program.
The program will allow the town to help tackle homelessness.
According to a staff report, a recent housing needs report identified homelessness as a key housing issue within the community.
The report also added the program will contribute 100% of the contributions and the Town will be eligible to up to $450,000.
If successful in receiving the grant the funding would go towards an Indigenous Homelessness Outreach Pilot Project and creating storage lockers for the homeless.
Councillor Casda Thomas expressed her support for the application.
“I do support using this opportunity to build the capacity that is suggested in the report and the work that is suggested and I have heard other times of the need for storage lockers, so that is something I will support as well,” she said.
The Indigenous Outreach Pilot Project will be a collaboration between the Dze L’Kant Friendship Centre to provide additional culturally appropriate supports.
Mayor Gladys Atrill said if there are opportunities to address social issues they should be taken.
“We all see everyday the dilemmas in our communities of people who are facing struggles and so I’m going to support it and I think when I have the opportunities to speak as we did to our MLA to say yes we need more support,” she said.
The Town is expected to hear from UBCM about the decision about the grant within 90 days of the application.