The Westcoast Genesis Society - Genesis House and Maria Keary Cottage

The Westcoast Genesis Society is a non-profit organization and registered charity formed in April 2000. Its mission is to actively promote the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being of persons who are socially marginalized.

The Agency currently fulfills its mission within a therapeutic yet secure environment by

• Operating two Community Residential Facilities (CRFs) and Programs Centres for adult male offenders on conditional release (20 beds at Genesis House and 15 beds at Maria Keary Cottage) under contract to the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)
• Delivering the first specialized programs in Canada for offenders living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) at Maria Keary Cottage using an intervention model that accommodates the disabilities these clients face
• Providing transitional and supported housing for up to 20 adult men who live in New Westminster and are homeless or at risk of homelessness because of a physical, social or mental condition or disability under an operating agreement with the British Columbia Housing Management Commission (BC Housing)

Staff assist offenders to reintegrate into the community as law-abiding citizens through a variety of programs that focus on the individual's needs for therapeutic interventions and practical solutions. Staff support housing residents to access the resources they need to address their needs and stabilize their lives so they can achieve healthy, safe and meaningful lives, whether in alternate housing or as long-term residents of Maria Keary Cottage.
Staff also deliver a number of CSC Correctional Programs.
Westcoast Genesis Society, a non-profit charitable organization established and incorporated in 2000, is governed by a dedicated Board of Directors. Andrew Boyd is the founder and Executive Director.
Gordon Thomson is House Manager for Genesis House and Pamela Sesk is House Manager for Maria Keary Cottage. Each has House Supervisors and a Cook reporting to them. Pamela also has a Case Manager at Maria Keary Cottage primarily for the FASD Offender Program. Both House Managers report directly to Andrew Boyd along with Business Manager Robert Chesterman and professional program staff.
Boyd served as President of the New Westminster Downtown Residents Association (NWDRA) for several years and currently remains on the Board. He also co-chaired the New Westminster Homelessness Coalition for two years. The Coalition, with members from all levels of government and from local human service agencies, comes together to develop and implement effective strategies for meeting the needs of chronically homeless people in New Westminster. Boyd also serves as a member of the New Westminster Inter-Agency Council. He strives always to maintain positive relations with local neighbours, the broader community, elected officials and senior City staff.
Andrew Boyd has extensive experience as an Alcohol and Drug Counsellor with the Salvation Army’s Harbour Light Centre in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where he built and became Director of their first Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) residential program for federal offenders. Before opening Genesis House in July 2000, he worked for CSC as one of their Program Delivery Officers for Correctional Programs. He is recognized for his entrepreneurial skill, his ability to work with staff and with very high-need clients, and his dedication to working with offenders to help ensure they reintegrate successfully into the community.

Community Residential Facilities (CRF)

Genesis House opened in July 2000. Built in 1898, it is a large, beautiful, white heritage house located at the corner of Carnarvon and Merivale in residential New Westminster, British Columbia. The house has been fully renovated inside to include additional showers and washrooms. The bedrooms have also been refurbished, and their floors have been restored to the original state. Genesis House can accommodate up to 20 residents in single, double, and triple occupancy rooms. Rooms are locked and residents have their own key.
Maria Keary Cottage opened in March 2010 upon completion of a major construction project that involved restoring the twin cottages built as rental properties for the widow Maria Keary in 1887 on Carnarvon Street a stone’s throw from the current Genesis House. Samuel Maclure, who later became one of British Columbia’s most influential architects, designed and built the original houses in the Queen Anne style. Besides restoring the original houses under a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the City, the Society joined the two houses into one and also added a two-storey addition at the rear. The main entrance to Maria Keary Cottage is now at the north end of the building off Dickenson Street (one block north of Carnarvon). The house features a fully-equipped weight room and an infrared sauna. All but one of the fifteen CRF beds are in double occupancy rooms. Rooms are locked and residents have their own access code.
Both Genesis House CRF and Maria Keary Cottage CRF specialize in serving persons with substance use issues and accept residents on the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program. The Agency also hosts local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings. Staff at Maria Keary Cottage deliver the only residential program in Canada for adult male offenders on conditional release living with FASD utilizing highly structured and customized interventions that take into account the specific challenges faced by the individual client.
Both houses are close to public transportation with quick and easy access to most locations in the Lower Mainland. The Columbia SkyTrain station is a short walk away. The New Westminster Community Corrections (Parole) Office is also within walking distance. The Canada Games Pool & Fitness Centre and the Royal City Centre shopping mall are short distances away.
Each house has a cook and residents can have three meals daily (residents prepare their own breakfast in the morning and all meals on the weekend and on statutory holidays). Coffee is available through the day. There are laundry facilities in both houses and residents may purchase detergent at the Front Desk). Each house also has free cable T.V. in the rooms, one or two telephones for local calls and a computer terminal. The houses are staffed with awake staff on a 24/7 basis.

Correctional Programs

• Community Maintenance Program
• Community Program
• Methadone Maintenance Support Group Program
• FASD Offender Program including in-reach and outreach services, residential services while on conditional release, aftercare support
• Intensive Management Program – Reporting Centre
• Urinalysis Collection Service
• Community Employment Counsellor (CEC)
• MSD (Income Assistance) Liaison Officer
• Intervention Specialists (Temporary Detainee Unit)

Transitional and Supported Housing

In addition to the 15 CRF beds, Maria Keary Cottage also offers 20 low-barrier, harm-reduction beds for chronically homeless men. These transitional and supported housing beds are a response to the need identified in the December 2006 New Westminster Homelessness Action Strategy and Implementation Plan for “a minimum-barrier, harm-reduction supported housing facility for the chronically homeless.” Staff of Maria Keary Cottage offer housing and assistance to previously homeless men to help them stabilize their lives and overcome the barriers that keep them homeless.
 Firstly I must pay tribute to Andrew and his staff. He gave up quite a bit of his time to assist me with my research and gave very detailed information about this project. The facility is in two parts one of which is a total new build and excellent facility. The other more older property is a mirror image and also gives great assistance to those coming from the prisons.
Again both Houses are located on a Residential Street and Andrew and his staff promote what they are trying to achieve with the local community and in fact Andrew is the Charman of the local residents committee. This helps them with the issues which are faced having ex-offenders located in the residential area.