Prince George has opened its new Community Safety Hub (CSH) to coordinate numerous community-based organizations, all working to improve the health and safety of the unsheltered population while addressing related impacts.
The facility supporting multi-jurisdictional service coordination opened on April 6.
Located at the corner of Second Avenue and George Street in the city’s District Energy building, the CSH serves as a critical connection point for many of the core agencies across governments and non-profit sectors that regularly contend with some of society’s most complex issues.
The Hub provides flexible work and meeting space for City Bylaw Services, Northern Health, BC Housing, RCMP including the Downtown Safety Unit, the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, Downtown Prince George and the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
It was established as one of the key commitments approved by city council that are contained in a report from the Select Committee on a Safe, Clean, and Inclusive Community.
“Council would like to thank all of our partner agencies for continuing to work with the City of Prince George to improve health, safety, and well-being for all of our residents, particularly downtown where the Hub is located,” says Mayor Lyn Hall, who also serves as Chair of the Committee, in a news release.
“These agencies have committed significant resources to the Community Safety Hub which reflects the priority they place on service coordination and communication. Council also thanks the Committee membership for their important contribution to the well-being of our residents.”
The CSH complements existing downtown service enhancements funded by the City of Prince George including enhanced RCMP patrols, dedicated Bylaw Officers working in the downtown from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days per week, storage service sites for the homeless and bio-hazard clean-up.
“The Prince George RCMP supports the Community Safety Hub and will encourage its use by the Downtown Safety Unit, Citizens on Patrol, Car 60, General Duty members, and the RCMP Restorative Justice Program as a place to exchange vital information with our partner agencies,” adds Prince George RCMP Cpl. Kurt Chapman.
Service coordination enabled by the presence of the Community Safety Hub will also create readiness for the opening of the First Avenue Health and Housing site.
The city is also applying for a $2.5 million grant through the Strengthening Communities’ Services Program to further support the city’s unhoused population through the CSH and other service expansion enhancements.
The results of that application will be determined in 90 days.
