The leader of an organization that works with the unhoused in Abbotsford believes the actual number of homeless people living on the streets of Abbotsford is far greater than the city’s official count.
In an interview with CIVL Radio, Executive Director of The 5 and 2 Ministries Ward Draper said he believes the figure to be greater than 800 people, rather than the approximately 500 people that the city has counted.
Draper said it’s challenging to get an accurate count in Abbotsford because it is the third largest city in British Columbia, and people could be sleeping anywhere. He attributes the rise in homelessness to the cost of living and the lack of shelter in this city.
The province, the federal government, and the community must work together to improve the situation, Draper said.
