Victoria is spending millions to tackle its homelessness crisis, stressing taxpayers

Victoria is spending more than ever before to tackle its homelessness crisis, which critics argue is stressing taxpayers on an issue outside the city’s jurisdiction, while the province says its push for supportive housing must be supplemented by health care interventions for those in need. Since 2023, the British Columbia capital has spent more than $12-million supporting homeless residents, helping to fund, among other things, a new supportive housing project on Pandora Avenue, according to city data. In that time, it spent another $11-million repairing damage caused by homeless encampments and increased bylaw presence.