Workshop helps Tri-Cities businesses deal with homelessness

As homelessness becomes a bigger issue in Metro Vancouver, a workshop is targeting businesses in the region to help them deal with the effects.

Sandy Burpee,theformer chair of the Tri-Cities Homelessness and Housing Task Force, said the origins for the workshop come from a meeting with an RCMP liasonofficer.

Burpee, of Coquitlam,said the liasonofficer said businesses in the Tri-Cities Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody were increasingly concerned about the proliferation of panhandling in thearea.

Burpeecompleted his ownsurvey of businesses, especially those near a homelessshelter in Coquitlamat 3030 Gordon Street. He said there were several concerns raised about aggressive behaviour, theft and drug use.

"In one case, it was an attempted purse snatching inside a store," Burpeesaid."In another case, it had been several people who had been required to leave the shelter [and were] demonstrating their displeasure in front of another business."

Burpee, who was recently awarded a Community Spirit Award from theTri-Cities Chamber of Commerce for his work on homelessness,is working with the Port CoquitlamBusiness Improvement Association as well as a colleague who has experienced homelessness before for Wednesday's workshop.

He says the workshop is a combination of helping businesses understand the root of homelessness and what the world looks like forsomeone who is homeless, and more practical concerns about how to de-escalate a difficult situation on the premises.

"In the workshop, we walk the line between having empathy and building empathy for people on the street [and] at the same time recognizing that intractable mental health and addictions challenges don't give license to [destroy] aplace of business," he said.

The free workshop takes place Wednesdayfrom 6 to 9 pm PT in the Michael Wright Art Gallery at the Gathering Placein PortCoquitlam

Listen to the interview on CBC's On The Coasthere: