Former Residents of Neptune Inn find housing for now

Councillor Joy Thorkelson provided some positive news on the topic of the recent closure of the Neptune Inn and the forced relocation of its tenants, advising City Council on Monday evening that the housing crisis of a few weeks ago has been temporarily resolved.

The topic came up as part of her review of housing initiatives in the community in recent weeks with Ms. Thorkelson advising that through the work of City Council, the Mayor and Aboriginal Community Services that BC Housing had offered up assistance to relocate those who had been forced out of the Neptune Inn.

Those residents were forced to seek alternative accommodation in May, with many of them arriving at the Fisherman's Hall seeking assistance to their plight, others as she has been noted in the past had taken to living on the streets for a period of time.

Councillor Thorkelson advised Council that some of those former tenants had already been placed in permanent housing options, while others had been provided with another month of accommodation at the Moby Dick Inn.

"I think that there was a crisis that happened and that certainly Council and the Mayor's concern moved BC Housing and I would like to thank BC Housing in Prince George in particular for moving on this issue and not leaving those people on the street, I think it is worthwhile to note that it was a lot of hard work that moved the mountain" -- Councillor Thorkelson outlining a positive development related to those residents forced out of the now closed Neptune Inn

BC Housing is looking to purchase an
existing, hotel, motel or apartment building
in the community

She credited the efforts of the Mayor and Council in making sure that BC Housing became aware of the situation in the community and the need to address it and that it highlighted the caring nature of the City to support the poorest in our community.

On that theme of a caring community, she also told council of a recent anonymous donation  of a large sum of money to the Aboriginal Community Services Society,  to support their work on housing issues in the community.

As part of her overview on the theme of housing issues in the Community, Councillor Thorkelson added that the City owed a great deal of thanks to Theresa Wesley at Aboriginal Community Services for her efforts in helping to provide assistance during the recent housing crisis and with the many housing initiatives currently underway.

As for future relief on the issue of housing, she also updated Council on some of the discussion with BC Housing office out of Prince George related to the Neptune housing issue.

Advising that BC Housing had indicated that it would be interested in purchasing hotel, motel or apartment units in the community.  With Councillor Thorkelson suggesting that anyone who may be interested in selling should contact BC Housing in Prince George.

The short update can be viewed from the City's Video Archive page, the Neptune situation update arrives at the one hour eleven minute mark and lasts until the 1 hour fourteen minute point

You can review the various issues related to housing in Prince Rupert from our archive page.

For further items related to City Council Discussions see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review