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BC Housing gives Penticton Canadian Mental Health Association eviction notice

Penticton Western News - 7/27/2021

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) in Penticton is looking to find a new home for its services and programs.

Currently, the CMHA provides mental health support throughout the South Okanagan Similkameen and has rented space from BC Housing for more than a decade at Skaha Sunrise.

However, due to BC Housing's re-development plans for the area, CMHA has been given notice to vacate its current space by April 2022.

Colleen Caron, the board chair for the CMHA, said the non-profit is open to all possibilities for a new location.

"An old restaurant or an empty church, we are appealing to the public for help," she said, adding concern for the lack of services in the south end of Penticton.

The Penticton CHMA has been open since 1991 and also operates a mental health clubhouse called Unity House that sees more than 15,000 client visits as well as offers a meals program that serves 14,000 meals to vulnerable people in the community each year.

Caron said, through funding from Interior Health, CMHA has been able to support those at Skaha Sunrise for many years.

"The partnership has been extremely successful, as evidenced by the low number of emergency calls to the site," she explained.

If you can help CMHA find a new location, please call the office at 250-493-8999.

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