Whereas there is an urgent need for publicly funded beds to support youth 0-18 years of age struggling with drug and alcohol addiction in southeastern British Columbia SE BC; And whereas the closest treatment centres serving youth are located in Kamloops for detox and recovery, an eight-hour drive from Cranbrook, and in Kelowna for recovery, a six-hour drive from Cranbrook; And whereas there is no public transportation linking SE BC with Kamloops or Kelowna; And whereas a parent or guardian is required to accompany their child and remain there at their expense while their child participates in detox Kamloops and waits for a recovery bed to become available Kamloops or Kelowna, resulting in hundreds of dollars in personal expenses for travel, accommodation and meals: Therefore be it resolved that the BC Government, through the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Ministry of Health, provide a minimum of 10 publicly funded detox and treatment beds for youth, to be located in a centre in southeastern British Columbia.
