The City of Victoria has entered into a service agreement with the SOLID Outreach Society to fund the operations of a new access hub facility at 2155 Dowler Place that will provide wrap-around community-based services to reduce the risk and impacts of homelessness.
$300,000 grant
The City is providing up to $1.8 million in annual operating funding and has provided a one-time grant of $300,000 to help SOLID acquire the property.
The initiative is funded by the City’s Financial Stability Reserve, which can be used to fund operating and environmental emergencies, specifically situations related to public safety and emerging demands.
peer-based approach
“Providing everyone with a pathway away from addiction and homelessness and reducing the impact it has on individuals, families, and the community cannot wait,” said Mayor Marianne Alto.
Marianne Alto adds, “SOLID’s peer-based approach has shown it is highly effective in working with the street community, while maintaining positive relationships with neighbors and other organizations that are key to ensuring successful programs for its service users and the surrounding community.”
access hub
The property sits on the boundary of three neighborhoods: North Park, Hillside Quadra, and Burnside
The new access hub will be owned and operated by SOLID and will be funded by the City of Victoria for up to one year. The 5,264-square-foot property sits on the boundary of three neighborhoods: North Park, Hillside Quadra, and Burnside.
“The access hub is designed as a welcoming low-barrier access point for people experiencing acute addiction and/or mental health issues, who are under-served by existing street services,” said Jack Phillips, Executive Director of SOLID Outreach Society, adding “We’re focused on providing tailored supports to individuals based on their specific needs and abilities rather than a cookie-cutter approach that often leaves people behind.”
new facility provisions
The new facility will provide a welcoming community space where individuals will have immediate survival needs for food, harm reduction, and overdose prevention services met, and will also receive immediate support in accessing health and support services and referrals, including wound care and longer-term health issues, accompaniment to hospital, rapid access to detox and treatment and housing case management.
Up to 50 people will be able to be served at a time and the facility will be open daily from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
safe and clean site
“The priority of our staff is to make sure people are connected to the services they need in a rapid, meaningful, and ongoing way – including accessing and maintaining housing, finding the right fit with treatment options, and lots of ways of plugging into our community through vocational training, support groups, and other daily activities,” said Mark Willson, Senior Director of Operations and Finance at SOLID.
The property will be fenced and security will be provided by SOLID, who will work collaboratively with City Bylaw officers, VicPD, the Victoria Fire Department, and City personnel to maintain a safe and clean site and to address any impacts on neighboring properties. The new facility requires some improvements and upgrades and is anticipated to open in the coming months.
experiential street support services
SOLID provides overdose prevention services at seven sites in Victoria, outreach to homeless encampments
Founded in 2003, SOLID is a non-profit society that provides experiential street support services to reduce the harms associated with poverty, drug use, and homelessness in Victoria.
SOLID provides overdose prevention services at seven sites in Victoria, outreach to homeless encampments, housing case management and housing support, health access and detox/treatment, and Indigenous-led cultural programs.
2023-2026 Strategic Plan
At the core of their work is a commitment to peer-based services.
The City’s service agreement with SOLID aligns with the Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan’s priority, Community well-being and Safety, and specifically the following two actions: support a range of civilian, bylaw, and policing crisis response and prevention services; and work with partner agencies and governments to create life opportunities for unhoused people.
