But some Coquitlam city councillors say it’s time for the province to contribute more when it comes to providing beds for people with nowhere to sleep.

In an interview with The Tri-City News Thursday, Housing Minister Rich Coleman said it’s up to the city to identify a piece of property for a permanent homeless shelter and a non-profit organization to run it.

Then, the province would make the money available to bring the shelter to fruition, he said.

“We haven’t downloaded anything on municipalities,” he said. “It’s up to them. If they want to get on with that, they can.”

Coleman cited provincial funding initiatives, including the addition of 2,200 units of supportive housing, some of which are in the YWCA project in Coquitlam, and rent assistance to help 4,000 families to stay in their homes, of which 300 are in Coquitlam, he said.

For the past two months, the issue of homelessness has been a contentious one at city hall as councillors grappled with whether to approve a controversial temporary shelter program at three Coquitlam churches.

Councillors approved the program last week — but only until March 31, 2008 — and many have commented on the fact senior levels of government aren’t doing their share of work for a permanent solution.

“This government is responsible for the homeless — it’s not us that are responsible for the homeless,” Coun. Lou Sekora said last week.

Coun. Brent Asmundson agreed, saying, “We are at the front lines at local government. Are we getting the help? No we’re not.”

And Coun. Fin Donnelly has called out senior levels of government repeatedly for letting homelessness grow since the mid-1990s to levels seen today.

Mayor Maxine Wilson has steered clear of using the word “download” during public meetings, instead focusing on provincial government money available for a permanent shelter.

That money does exist — there’s just a lot of work to be done first.

Sandy Burpee, chair of the Tri-City Housing Coalition and co-chair of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Force, said progress has been made.

A request for expressions of interests for non-profit organizations wanting to operate a shelter was to be signed off on Friday and sent to BC Housing for final review. It will go before city councils in January for their information.

Once a successful organization is chosen in the new year, it will be required to develop a project proposal and locate a site.

“It will be really up to a successful proponent to do the research, investigate sites and find the best one,” Burpee said. “We’re looking for someone who has a track record and has done this before, and understands the challenges and strategies for doing the stick-handling required to get this thing built.”

Coleman said the Riverview Hospital grounds aren’t a likely option, although the property will face an extensive review in the new year. Recommendations from that review should be complete by mid-2008, he said.

“No building at Riverview right now could we use a shelter,” he said. “Most are infested with vermin or have asbestos in them.”

He also said the site isn’t accessible to homeless people and questioned how they would get there.

In August, Coleman announced a proposal to develop the aging 244-acre site with at least 7,000 units for market and social housing.

But the city of Coquitlam opposes that plan. Council wants to stick with a city task force’s report to keep the site publicly owned for a sanctuary and residential treatment facility for people with mental illness.

lgerrits@tricitynews.com