The Province will open 42 interim shelter spaces in mid-December, using vacant commercial space at the Marble Arch Hotel, a provincially owned Single Room Occupancy Hotel located at 518 Richards St. in Vancouver.

This additional temporary shelter capacity is being opened while more provincially funded supported housing is built in the City of Vancouver. The 42 spaces will be open 24 hours a day. Couples-only accommodations will be available and a meal program will be offered. Raincity Housing will provide support services.

Quotes:

Mark Smith. executive director of RainCity Housing -

"As it begins to get colder, it is crucial that we take every opportunity to provide additional shelter spaces. We look forward to operating in this new location and working with BC Housing."

Quick Facts:

• In the City of Vancouver, there are more than 638 year-round emergency shelter beds that receive annual provincial funding of approximately $17 million.
• The Province also provides funding for 340 temporary HEAT shelter spaces and over 250 Extreme Weather Response spaces in the city.
• Shelters play an important role to help people break the cycle of homelessness, but the main priority is building permanent, supportive housing. The Province is investing more than $300 million to build more than 1,500 new supportive housing units in partnership with the City of Vancouver.
• Four of the developments, with 389 supportive apartments have already opened.
• The remaining sites are under construction or in development.
• Supportive housing is affordable housing with supports to help connect tenants to the community services they need to stabilize and begin rebuilding their lives.
• Creating permanent housing is a more cost-effective use of taxpayers' money. On a per-night basis, providing permanent housing unit costs less than half of what it costs to provide an emergency shelter bed.

Learn More:

Learn more about provincial housing programs: http://www.bchousing.org/Initiatives

How the provincial housing strategy is helping British Columbians:

http://www.bchousing.org/Media/Stories

Contact:

Communications
Minister Responsible for Housing
250 952-0617