Office of the Premier
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)
