Terrace Council Raises Alarm as Security Funding Ends at Joe’s Place Shelter

Terrace city council is calling on B.C. Housing and the provincial Ministry of Housing to reconsider plans to end security funding at Joe’s Place, a 40-bed emergency shelter in northern B.C.

Council voted to send a formal letter expressing concern after learning that funding for on-site security, currently provided through the ’Ksan Society, will not be renewed beyond March 31.

Joe’s Place operates under contract with B.C. Housing and serves individuals experiencing homelessness in southwest Terrace.

“Removing security is ill-advised, unappreciated and frankly not acceptable,” said Coun. James Cordeiro, who introduced the motion at the Feb. 23 council meeting.

Cordeiro said he had understood that a continued security presence would be part of the shelter’s operating model, particularly to support staff safety.

“That was one reason why I was not adamantly opposed to it, and begrudgingly went along with it,” he said. “I don’t appreciate that the city in effect is now going to have to pick up the tab.”

RCMP presence expected to rise

The potential removal of security has also raised concerns among local law enforcement.

At council’s request, the Terrace RCMP have been tracking the number of hours officers spend responding to incidents at the shelter.

In the most recent quarterly report, officers recorded 10.5 hours of attendance between July and September 2025 — a figure that police say dropped significantly after security was introduced.

“Our numbers are going to go up,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Bourguignon during the meeting. “Before they had security, the numbers were a lot higher.”

Mayor Sean Bujtas noted that taxpayers fund approximately 70 per cent of RCMP costs.

“If we are sending our RCMP there more, it’s just going to put more burden on everyone else,” he said.

Provincial response

In a statement to Peazzi, B.C. Housing said it recognizes that maintaining safe communities requires coordination across governments and service providers.

“We have heard the community’s concerns and will work with the society to maintain security at the site,” the statement said.

However, Mayor Bujtas said council has not yet received formal confirmation of continued funding.

“It’s great if they could maintain [security],” he said. “I think the government should be doing more than maintaining — they should be securing the properties around this facility as well, not just the shelter property.”

B.C. Housing emphasized that bylaw enforcement and policing remain the responsibility of local authorities, adding that security funding is provided “in rare circumstances” when a demonstrated need exists.

Ongoing tension over roles and costs

The situation highlights broader tensions between municipalities and the province over responsibility for housing and homelessness services.

While shelters are provincially funded and operated by non-profit partners, local governments often absorb downstream costs related to policing, bylaw enforcement and neighbourhood impacts.

As the March 31 funding deadline approaches, Terrace officials say they are seeking clarity — and assurance that removing security will not increase risks to staff, residents or the wider community.