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Trail Businesses Struggle with Rising Concerns Over Public Drug Use and Homelessness
By Casey LeMoel
Neighbourhood Publisher / Reporter
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Trail, B.C. — Business owners in Trail say they are facing increasing challenges linked to homelessness and public drug use, raising concerns about safety, cleanliness, and the long-term health of the downtown core.
Several local shopkeepers report a noticeable rise in incidents over the past year, including loitering, discarded needles, and unpredictable behaviour associated with substance use. While many emphasise compassion for those struggling, they say the situation is becoming harder to manage without additional support.
Kind of stuff really is not good for business and tourists.
Mr Danny Ferraro of Ferraro Foods wrote a letter to Trail City Council addressing his concerns and how it's impacting his business. In his letter, he expressed concerns about the local government-funded shelter and its operations. The operator of the shelter responded to Mr Ferraro's letter, addressing his concerns and presented it to the Trail City Council.
As a business owner, I have been assaulted multiple times by people addicted to drugs trying to protect my business and my customers. Sometimes I have felt like having to guard it on a twenty-four-hour basis, so my place of business is respected, and people want to come and shop. I do sometimes hourly patrols around my property to make sure no one is trespassing or leaving drug pipes, needles or rubber bands on the sidewalk.
“It’s not just one or two anymore,” said a downtown retailer who asked not to be named. “We’re seeing this daily. Customers feel uneasy, and staff are being put in difficult situations.”
Community members note that Trail, like many small cities across British Columbia, is feeling the effects of broader issues, including the toxic drug supply, lack of affordable housing, and limited access to mental health services.
Local outreach organisations say the visible increase in homelessness reflects deeper systemic gaps. “People aren’t choosing to live this way,” said a regional support worker. “There’s a shortage of housing, treatment options, and consistent care. Without those, people fall through the cracks.”
City officials acknowledge the concerns and say they are working with provincial agencies, law enforcement, and social services to find balanced solutions. Measures under discussion include increased outreach, harm reduction strategies, and potential bylaw adjustments.
At the same time, advocates stress the importance of avoiding stigma. “We need to address public safety, yes,” said one community volunteer, “but also remember that these are human beings dealing with complex challenges.” It is important to state that this government-funded shelter is not paid per bed or based on how many beds are full. Often, we hear this around town, or even by the tenants of the shelter themselves. For now, business owners say they hope for more visible action and support. Many are calling for a coordinated approach that addresses both immediate concerns in the downtown area and the underlying causes driving the issue. Also, another common statement around town is that the shelter brings people from out of town in order to keep these beds full, in order to keep receiving funding. These issues were cleared up in the response letter that was presented as a response to Mr Danny Ferraro's letter.
As Trail continues to navigate the situation, the conversation reflects a broader struggle playing out in communities across the province — how to support vulnerable populations while maintaining safe and welcoming public spaces. Many people also question the fact of how governments are dealing with this drug crisis that is at the ten-year mark in British Columbia. Since this drug crisis started in 2016, today this province is in worse shape than before it started, with more people dying than before this crisis started, after discontinuing the three-year illegalization of certain drugs.
If you watch the TV show Intervention, it is important not to enable a person with addictions. It happens all the time with families not doing it on purpose but because they care about their son or daughter. The current government module seems to do this exact thing. Yes, they provide a safe place for people that is supervised with endless support services if a person wants to use them. The issue is that this safe place is also free to the person, and everything is provided, clothes, food, medical, furniture and more. It is also a safe place to engage in drugs. What are we teaching people by giving them everything for free? Some are getting government money from the provincial government. If they don't have to pay rent, that leaves more money to spend on drugs, which can make their addiction even worse. Help is good, support is good, but not all of it should be free for the rest of their lives. Remember, we have been taught not to ''enable'' people with addictions.
No one, including the government, has answers to these problems for the long term. Some people have done well and transferred to living in affordable housing with outreach services for them if they need them. It's important to state that not everyone who is without a home is linked to substance abuse issues and is just having trouble with living costs in this worst economy in history. The operators of these government-funded shelters do not make the rules for a lot of these things. They receive funding to provide a certain model of service. Please go to our website on our online news page to read Mr Ferraro's letter and the operator of the Trail shelters' response.
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