More than 1,200 additional emergency shelter spaces have been identified in approximately 70 communities to help those in need of temporary shelter access a warm place to stay during extreme winter weather conditions.

The B.C. government will provide up to $1.3 million for the temporary shelter spaces that are available from Nov. 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013, when a weather alert is activated. Each community decides when to issue an extreme weather alert based on current conditions and forecasts and how many spaces should be made available on a given night.

These additional spaces supplement the more than 1,600 permanent, year-round shelter beds in B.C., more than double the number of beds available in 2001. The Province also funds outreach teams who connect homeless people with permanent housing, income supports, and a range of health services. Last year, more than 3,200 people throughout B.C. were provided with stable housing through outreach services.

Quote:

Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas, Minister Responsible for Housing -

"Every year volunteers and community organizations across the province make extra spaces available during the cold weather months. Our government provides the funding and the community makes sure there is a warm, safe place to stay, for anyone who needs it."

Quick Facts:

• Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $3.2 billion to provide affordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and families. This year, more than 97,000 B.C. households will benefit from the government's housing programs and services.

• Around $212 million was invested last year to support more than 10,400 emergency shelter spaces, subsidized units and rent supplements for those who were homeless.

• A list of shelter spaces is available at: www.bchousing.org/programs/ESP/shelter_list

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Seumas Gordon
BC Housing
604 439-4789
604 417-5791 (cell)

BACKGROUNDER

Locations offering shelter space when communities activate an Extreme Weather Alert

100 Mile House

99 Mile Motel, 896 Alpine Ave. (Highway 97) / 4 spaces

The Cedars, #204 - 476 South Cedar Ave. / 6 spaces

Abbotsford

Cyrus Centre (youth), 2616 Ware St. / 10 spaces

Emmanuel Mennonite, 3471 Clearbrook Rd. / 20 spaces

Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver (Firth Residence), 31399 Livingston Ave. / 4 spaces

The Salvation Army (Centre of Hope), 34081 Gladys Rd. / 20 spaces

Sevenoaks Alliance Church, 2575 Gladwin Rd. / 10 spaces

Olivet Mennonite, 2036 Langdon St. / 10 spaces

Burnaby

Lookout Emergency Aid Society, 7540 6th St. 8611 Armstrong Ave. / 57 spaces

Campbell River

The Salvation Army (Lighthouse Centre), 1381 Cedar St. / 15 spaces

Courtenay

The Salvation Army (Northgate Four Square Church), 1640 Burgess St. / 20 spaces

Cranbrook

The Salvation Army, 533 Slater Rd. / 10 spaces

Duncan

CMHA Duncan (Warmland House), 2579 Lewis St. / 10 spaces

Fort St John

The Salvation Army (Fort St. John Care and Share Centre), 10116 - 100 Ave. / 25 spaces

Grand Forks

BETHS, 7225 4th St. / 20 spaces

Hope

Hope & Area Transition Society, 63030 Flood Hope Rd. / 10 spaces

Kamloops

Out of the Cold, St Paul's Cathedral, St. Vincent's de Paul, 360 Nicola Street / 28 spaces

Langley

The Salvation Army (Gateway of Hope), 5787 Langley Bypass / 30 spaces

Merritt

Nicola Valley Extreme Weather Shelter, 1999 Voght Street / 8 spaces

Mission

Mission Community Services (Haven in the Hallow), 32646 Logan Ave. / 15 spaces

Nanaimo

First Unitarian Fellowship Church, 595 Townsite Rd. / 24 spaces

Nelson

Nelson Cares Society (Stepping Stones), #7 - 567 Ward St. / 6 spaces

New Westminster

Lookout Emergency Aid Society, 606 Clarkson / 30 spaces

North Vancouver

Lookout North Shore, 705 West Second St. / 45 spaces

Parksville

The Salvation Army, 187 Alberni Highway / 8 spaces

Penticton

The Salvation Army (Penticton Cold Snap Inn), 639 Main St. / 20 spaces

Port Alberni

The Salvation Army, 3978 8th Ave. / 20 spaces

Port Coquitlam

SHARE Family & Community Services, 2211 Prairie Ave. / 20 spaces

Port Hardy

The Salvation Army (Lighthouse Resource Centre), 8635 Granville St. / 12 spaces

Prince George

ASAP Bridget Moran, 1188 6TH Ave. / 10 spaces

AWAC Women's Shelter, 144 George St. / 10 spaces

Prince George Native Friendship Society (Ketso Yoh Men's Shelter), 160 Quebec St. / 10 spaces

Quesnel

Quesnel Shelter and Support Society (Seasons House), 146 Carson Ave. / 10 spaces

Richmond

The Salvation Army (Richmond House), 3111 Shell Rd. / 6 spaces

St Alban's Anglican Church, 7260 St. Alban's Rd. / 16 spaces

Salmon Arm

The Salvation Army (Lighthouse Inn from the Cold), 441 3rd St. / 16 spaces

Salt Spring Island

Salt Spring Island Community Services Society, 268 Fulford-Ganges Rd. / 15 spaces

Sechelt

The Salvation Army, 5838 Barnacle St. / 10 spaces

Surrey

Cloverdale Church, 102-17802, 66 Ave. / 15 spaces

Nightshift Ministries, 10635 King George Hwy / 20 spaces

Surrey Urban Mission, 13388 104 Ave. / 60 spaces

South Fraser Community Services Society, 10697 135A St. / 10 spaces

Terrace

Ksan Housing Society, 3120 Braun Street / 15 spaces

Trail

United Church/Communities in Faith, 2030 2nd Ave. / 6 spaces

Vancouver

Covenant House (youth), 575 Drake St. / 12 spaces

Evelyne Saller Centre, 320 Alexander St. / 40 spaces

Catholic Charities, 828 Cambie St. / 20 spaces

First Baptist Church, 969 Burrard St. / 25 spaces

Gathering Place, 609 Helmcken St. / 40 spaces

Marpole Place, 1305 West 70th Ave. / 40 spaces

St Mark's, 1805 Larch St. / 25 spaces

Tenth Avenue Church 11 West 10th Ave. / 25 spaces

Salvation Army - Belkin House, 555 Homer St. / 20 spaces

Salvation Army Harbour Light, 119 East Cordova St. / 50 spaces

Vernon

John Howard Society of the North Okanagan (Gateway House), 2800 33 St. / 20 spaces

Victoria

Our Place Society, 919 Pandora Ave. / 50 spaces

The Salvation Army, 525 Johnson St. / 30 spaces

Victoria Native Friendship Centre, 231 Regina Ave. / 25 spaces

St. John the Divine, 1611 Quadra St. / 40 spaces

White Rock

Options Community Services Society (First United Church), 15385 Semiahmoo Ave. / 15 spaces

Contact:

Seumas Gordon
BC Housing
604 439-4789
604 417-5791 (cell)