cul-de-sac Warriors

There should be little doubt that the closing of Riverview Hospital in 2012, exacerbated the homeless problem in Metro Vancouver. A large percentage of those living on the streets are mentally challenged and should probably be in a residential care facility. There has been discussion surrounding the revival of Riverview, but BC Housing now has it on pause.

The City of Coquitlam, where the hospital grounds are located, is frustrated by the delays as reported by CTV News:

“Quite often it feels like Groundhog Day here at Riverview, at Sumiqwuelu, because so many people agree there is a future for this site in delivery of excellent mental health services,” said Mayor Richard Stewart. “How do we get there? Let’s just get there.”

That report also includes the current reason why there is nothing happening:
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Ravi Kahlon, who oversees BC Housing as minister, said that an election among the Kwikwetlem “was one of the main reasons” for the pause and the “hope” was the talks could resume shortly after the First Nation votes on March 30.
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The 121 member population of the Kwitwetlem First Nation consists of 44 members living on-reserve in a single cul-de-sac, 42 members elsewhere in BC, 8 members out of province in Canada, and 27 members in the USA. The 44 members on-reserve are funded by a number of government grants and other transfers averaging over $7 million a year for the last ten years ($10.9 M in revenue for 2022). They employ 36 administrative staff at an average cost of over $65,000 per employee ($2.245 M for 2022) … 36 employees to look after the needs of 44 resident members?

For such a small population, they pack a lot of reconciliation clout. In 2014 they received an $8.2 million lump sum from the provincial government for some undisclosed land deal involving their Chief, Ron Giesbrecht, who gave himself $800,000 as a bonus payment for arranging the deal. Then in 2017, Giesbrecht established a lawsuit land claim against certain BC ministries, Metro Vancouver and the City of Port Coquitlam. It appears they have now dropped the claim against PoCo in return for a servicing agreement for a business park they are creating to earn money to pay their legal bills, they say.

The 2017 lawsuit includes BC Housing which controls the Riverview lands that Kwitwetlem demands ownership of. Coincidentally (?) BC Housing upped their grant to the nation-in-the-cul-de-sac by $4 million that year. Kwitwetlem also received over $4 million from Kinder Morgan in ‘17/’18 resulting from their intervener suit against the Trans Mountain pipeline, and a further $5.2 & $1.9 million from the provincial government in 2018 & 2019 relating to another undisclosed land deal during Giesbrecht’s watch.

With respect to Riverview’s future, Giesbrecht provided a 2017 press release clarification:

Through community consultation and legal review, the Kwikwetlem First Nation have decided to announce their position on Riverview based on their claim of title. The Kwikwetlem First Nation wish to make it clear that they expect to become an owner of the Riverview Lands and lead the future development of these lands.

The Kwikwetlem First Nation envision a development scenario for Riverview that is based on highest and best use with a goal towards maximizing the benefits to the Nation as land owner.

The last few years Giesbrecht hasn’t been the Chief but was re-elected on March 30, 2023, so Minister Kahlon will be dealing with him again. In 2021 BC Housing made the Kwitwetlem a legal partner in the redevelopment of Riverview, renaming it Sumiqwuelu, but the land claim lawsuit remains in place. Now with Giesbrecht back as Chief it is hard to see much happening as far as progress towards any new mental health facilities, given that he expects the property to be controlled by the Kwitwetlem for “highest and best use” (market housing).

Re-establishing treatment facilities at Riverview is perhaps the most important component of any plan to address Metro Vancouver’s homeless dilemma. This potential remains in limbo, however, while a litigious cul-de-sac wages their paper war to become billion dollar land developers.

The amounts this small indigenous group already receives and expends each year are nearly 100 times higher, per capita, than surrounding municipalities. There are also off-reserve members to consider … sure, but they could be your next door neighbours who don’t need support or someone in a tent on Hastings St. receiving separate social assistance from the province, we don’t know. As far as the members living out of province and in the States – why should BC provincial assets be given away simply to enhance their distant private wealth?

The next news piece you see about the plight of the homeless mentally ill, remember this ongoing, pathetic, legal/bureaucratic impasse.