SURREY TRANSITION HOUSING SAVED FROM CLOSURE

SURREY – Launching Pad Recovery House, a transition house for homeless individuals in recovery from addictions, once in jeopardy of closing its doors, held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with provincial and community partners today to celebrate the purchase of the residence.

“The provincial government is committed to improving the lives of those dealing with homelessness and addictions,” said Gordon Hogg, MLA for Surrey-White Rock. “Launching Pad Recovery House has helped, and will continue to help, individuals in our community by providing affordable, supportive housing in a stable, drug- and alcohol-free setting. We are pleased that we could assist Launching Pad in securing the purchase of this residence, which has provided healing and help to so many.”

Launching Pad Recovery House, a 28-bed facility, has been providing housing and support services to homeless people in recovery from addictions since 2001. The Launching Pad Addiction Rehabilitation Society, which was leasing the current location, was told the facility would be sold and the residents displaced. The Province prevented the facility from closing by providing a building purchase grant which allowed the society to secure a mortgage in order to purchase the building and continue to operate. The society will also continue to work with other local agencies to provide counselling, life-skills training, and employment and education services.

“Surrey’s Crime Reduction Strategy places a great deal of emphasis on drug rehabilitation as a cornerstone of addressing the root causes of crime,” said City of Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “Launching Pad has made an enormous contribution towards providing a full range of much-needed addiction treatment services and housing in this community and we are pleased they will now have the opportunity to continue to contribute towards the building of a safe and healthy community for our citizens.”

“Our mandate is to provide a vital link in the continuum of services available to recovering adult male alcoholics and addicts by providing assistance for them to return to productive and healthy lifestyles, help their families and friends participate in the recovery process and create a positive and supportive community response to recovery,” said Marianne Walters, president of the Launching Pad Addiction Rehabilitation Society. “With the ability to purchase Launching Pad Recovery House, we are now better able to continue to meet these goals.”

Residents of Launching Pad Recovery House will continue to be provided with a homelike, supportive environment for a period of up to two years. They must make a commitment to abstain from alcohol and drugs and must demonstrate their willingness to work on rebuilding life skills and personal development with a goal of living more independently.

The Province has committed to creating more than 2,300 new housing units under the Provincial Homelessness Initiative. The initiative aims to break the cycle of homelessness by integrating support services with housing so people may move beyond temporary shelter to more secure housing, gain greater self-reliance, and achieve appropriate employment. The initiative is one action under the Province’s comprehensive housing strategy, Housing Matters BC. Copies can be downloaded from www.bchousing.org.

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Laura Kohli BC Housing 604 439-8583 604 805-4960 (cell)	Ed Warnke Executive Director Launching Pad Addiction Rehabilitation Society 604 536-3022

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