Thousands of shelter spaces opening as cold weather descends on B.C.

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B.C. Housing is expanding the number of shelter spaces available as the first nights of below-zero weather arrive in Metro Vancouver and across the province.

The housing agency is providing funds for 5,000 shelter spaces in 50 communities, in a combination of permanent, temporary and extreme-weather response shelters.

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Permanent shelters are usually open 24 hours a day throughout the year, regardless of the weather. There are currently 3,968 of them operating in B.C.

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Temporary shelters open every night, but most also operate all day with meals provided. Some are seasonal from November until the end of March or April. There are 512 such spaces across the province.

Extreme-weather response shelters are times when there is an alert due to cold temperatures, snow or heavy rain. Communities make the decision when weather conditions warrant opening these spaces, as Surrey did on Thursday night and Vancouver on Friday.

They are available through B.C. Housing from Oct. 15, 2023, to April 15, 2024.

More sites are expected to come on stream in the coming weeks as local agencies finalize operating agreements.

B.C. Housing has converted 1,652 temporary shelter spaces into permanent spaces in the past year, notably in northern B.C.

The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness will also reimburse local authorities and First Nations that open emergency warming centres during cold snaps, including the cost of rentals and utilities.

Shelters can offer immediate relief but are only part of tackling homelessness, said the Ministry of Housing in a release Friday.

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“Moving people into permanent, stable housing benefits everyone in the community. This is why, since 2017, the province has nearly 77,000 homes delivered or underway, including more than 7,000 supportive homes.”

For a list and map of all three types of shelters in communities across B.C., go to smap.bchousing.org.

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Here is the list of shelters in six major B.C. communities as of Nov. 1, 2023 (check local community websites or the map above for availability in smaller towns and cities):

Kamloops (194 spaces)

• Emerald Centre, 259 Victoria St., 40 year-round spaces

• Merit Place, 715 Notre Dame Dr., 50 year-round spaces

• Moira House, 600 Kingston Ave., 41 year-round spaces

• Mustard Seed Shelter, 181 Victoria St. West, 22 year-round spaces

• Harbour Shelter (women-only), 181 Victoria St. West, 12 year-round spaces

• Stuart Wood, 245 St Paul St, 25 temporary spaces

• Kamloops Alliance Church, 200 Leigh Rd., 30 extreme weather response spaces

Kelowna (268 spaces)

• Richter Street Shelter, 1083 Richter St., 50 year-round spaces

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• Cornerstone Shelter, 425 Leon Ave., 80 year-round spaces

• Bay Avenue Shelter, 858 Ellis St., 60 temporary spaces

• Kelowna Gospel Mission, 251 Leon Ave., 60 year-round spaces

• Alexandra Gardner Safe Centre, 2609 Richter St., 20 year-round spaces

Prince George (151 spaces)

• AWAC Women’s Shelter, 144 George St., 40 year-round spaces

• Ketso Yoh Centre Men’s Hostel, 140 Quebec St., 21 year-round spaces

• Second Avenue Shelter, 1151 2nd Ave., 30 year-round spaces

• Bridget Moran Place, 1188 6th Avenue. 45 year-round spaces

Surrey (429 spaces)

• Shimai House, 13327 100A Ave., six extreme weather response spaces

• PCRS, 10453 Whalley Blvd., 10 extreme weather response spaces

• SUMs Nourish, 13539 King George Blvd., 15 extreme weather response spaces

• SUMs NightShift, 10635 King George Blvd., 15 extreme weather response spaces

• Lookout Surrey Alliance, 13474 96 Ave., 30 extreme weather response spaces

• Surrey Cloverdale, 5337 180 St., 25 extreme weather response spaces

• Lookout Guildford, 14716 104 Ave., 46 year-round spaces

• Lookout Parkway, 10667 135A St., 40 year-round spaces

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• Surrey Urban Mission,10776 King George Blvd., 40 year-round spaces

• The Cove, 10607 King George Blvd., 42 year-round spaces

• The Olive Branch, 10731 City Parkway, 45 year-round spaces

• Rosewood Shelter, 9683 137 St., 60 year-round spaces

• Sheena’s Place, 13474 112A Ave., 10 year-round spaces

• Cynthia’s Place, 14337/14347 108 Ave., 18 year-round spaces

• Lookout Gateway Shelter and Outreach, 10667 135A St., 40 year-round spaces

• Hyland House, 6595 King George Blvd., 45 year-round spaces

• Bill Reid Place, 17910 Colebrook Rd., 16 year-round spaces

• Foxglove Shelter, 9810 Foxglove Dr., 27 year-round spaces

Vancouver (603 spaces)

• Directions Youth Resource Centre, 1138 Burrard St., 10 extreme weather response spaces

• Belkin House, 555 Homer St., 20 extreme weather response spaces

• Covenant House, 1280 Seymour St., 10 extreme weather response spaces

• Lookout Commercial Hastings, 1738 E Hastings St., 20 temporary spaces

• Harbour Light 119 East Cordova St., 40 temporary spaces

• Gathering Place, 609 Helmcken St., 34 temporary spaces

• Directions Youth Services Centre, 1138 Burrard St. 12 temporary spaces

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• 1660 East Hastings St., 100 temporary spaces

• Sisters Shelter, 131 Dunlevy Ave., 16 year-round spaces

• Sisterhood, 342 Alexander St., 21 year-round spaces

• Kye7e, 172 Cordova St. E., 10 year-round spaces

• 1401 Hornby St., 52 year-round spaces

• Metson, 1060 Howe St., 38 year-round spaces

• Lookout Walton Hotel, 261 Hastings St. E., 15 year-round spaces

• Klahowya at Terminal, 875 Terminal Ave., 60 year-round spaces

• Osborn, 15 Hastings Street W., 80 year-round spaces

• 398 Powell St., 11 year-round spaces

• 265 Hastings St. E., 31 year-round spaces

• WISH, 340 Alexander St., 23 year-round spaces

• Catholic Charities Men’s Hostel, 1056 Comox St., 108 year-round spaces

• Covenant House, 1280 Seymour St., 60 year-round spaces

• First United Church Shelter, 467 Alexander St., 51 year-round spaces

• Lookout Yukon St Shelter, 2088 Yukon St., 71 year-round spaces

• Lookout Al Mitchell Shelter, 346 Alexander St., 46 year-round spaces

• The Lark, 103 Hastings St. East, 14 year-round spaces

• New Fountain Shelter, 356 East Hastings, 60 year-round spaces

• RainCity HPP & Triage Emergency Shelter, 707 Powell St., 28 year-round spaces

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• Springhouse Shelter, 333 E.16th Ave., 32 year-round spaces

• Powell Place Emergency Shelter, 329 Powell St., 52 year-round spaces

• Downtown Eastside Women’s Shelter, 412 East Cordova St., 57 year-round spaces

• Belkin House 555 Homer St., 81 year-round spaces

• The Haven, 108 East Hastings St., 34 year-round spaces

• The Beacon, 108 East Hastings St., 66 year-round spaces

• Crosswalk, 108 East Hastings St., 36 year-round spaces year-round spaces

• Vi Fineday Family Shelter, 1906 15th Ave. West, 18 year-round spaces

• Aboriginal Shelter, 240 Northern 201 Central St., 55 year-round spaces

Victoria (335 spaces)

• Addictions & Rehabilitation Centre, 525 Johnson St., 30 extreme weather response spaces, 21 year-round spaces

• SOLID, 1056 North Park, 30 extreme weather response spaces

• Out of the Rain Victoria, 1450 Elford St., 15 year-round spaces

• Douglas Community Shelter, 2915 Douglas St., 29 year-round spaces

• 919 Pandora, 919 Pandora Ave., 34 year-round spaces

• My Place, 1240 Yates St., 54 year-round spaces

• Sandy Merriman House, 809 Burdett Ave., 25 year-round spaces

• Next Steps, 2317 Dowler Place, 13 year-round spaces

• Rock Bay Landing, 535 Ellice St., 84 year-round spaces

— Source: Ministry of Housing

jruttle@postmedia.com

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