Thank you very much.
My name is Queenie Choo, and I'm the CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is one of the largest social services agencies in British Columbia, serving new Canadians, seniors and those in affordable housing. Thank you for inviting me to present to the committee today.
I am pleased to join you from the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam nations.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and the community we serve. As a non-profit social service agency, we quickly pivoted our services to meet the evolving needs of our communities. For example, this includes offering supports to newcomers to navigate government benefits and systems; coordinating teams of volunteers to support seniors with grocery shopping, meal delivery and virtual phone visits; and of course, ensuring that seniors who reside in our long-term care homes remain safe and healthy.
We have also seen the impact on immigrants and racialized communities. Many are working on the front line as essential workers, often in multiple and low-paying jobs with less job security, which puts them and their families at higher risk of COVID-19. In addition, we have also seen a rise in anti-Asian racism. Recent research by Insights West indicates that 43% of Asian British Columbians have been on the receiving end of racism this past year. To be honest, the true number is probably much higher, as many people will downplay their experiences of racism and hate and will not report it. It is likely that many of you know family, friends, neighbours or co-workers who have experienced racism.
The dual pandemic of COVID-19 and anti-Asian racism has negatively impacted the health and well-being of immigrants and racialized communities. Many of the clients we serve at S.U.C.C.E.S.S., particularly Asian elders and women, are experiencing very real fears about their own and their loved ones' safety, not only from COVID but also from racism and hate. This has added to their stress and anxiety levels. We have received many calls from community members reaching out for support. At the same time, we know that there continue to be many community members who do not reach out for support due to stigma and language barriers.
There is so much work that needs to be done. I wanted to put forward a few thoughts for your consideration.
First, we need to acknowledge and examine the disproportionate impact of COVID on immigrant and racialized communities. To do this, we need to do a much better job of collecting race-based data in consultation with communities. We need to not only collect this data but also be open about how it will be used to make positive changes. My concern is always that we only collect data and it just sits in a report and nothing is done with it to make improvements to people’s lives.
Next, we need to do more work to understand the short- and long-term impacts of racism. While we all acknowledge that racism is a problem, not enough is done to truly understand the far-reaching and intergenerational impacts of racism on people's health and wellness. We need to adopt an intersectional lens so that we understand how racism intersects with xenophobia, classism, misogyny and other forms of oppression.
There needs to be more sustainable funding to support the mental health and wellness of immigrant and racialized communities and particularly for culturally appropriate supports. We receive significant demand for our helplines and counselling services. We need more funding to keep up with the growing demand.
This isn't going away after COVID, which is why I say sustainable funding and not just one-off supports. We need to prepare for the long-term impacts of the trauma from COVID-19 and racism, particularly for those who have been on the front lines of the pandemic.
We all know that long-term care homes have been significantly impacted by COVID. There is an urgent need to develop national standards for long-term care to ensure the health and safety of seniors who experience high levels of vulnerability. At the same time, we need to ensure that these standards are inclusive of the needs and experiences of diverse seniors by considering culturally appropriate care.
We also need to support the sustainability of social service organizations and the people who work in the sector. They are critical to the health of communities. Many organizations have stepped up to the plate, pivoted their services and, quite frankly, have gone beyond the call of duty to support high needs in the community, all while dealing with falling donation levels and underfunding, as well as staff burnout. We need to ensure not only that these social service agencies survive the pandemic but that they are supported to enhance their capacity in order to respond to new community emergencies.
Thank you for your time. I hope that these are some insights that can be shared for your consideration.