More indoor shelter spaces open ahead of winter
Thousands of people experiencing homelessness will have access to warm, safe spaces to stay as colder weather arrives in communities throughout British Columbia.
The Province, through BC Housing, is funding 5,000 shelter spaces in 50 communities throughout B.C., including permanent, temporary and extreme weather-response (EWR) shelters. There are three types of shelters throughout B.C.:
- Permanent shelters: These shelters are typically open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, regardless of the weather. There are 3,968 permanent shelter spaces operating throughout B.C.
- Temporary shelters: These shelters are open every night. Most shelters operate 24 hours a day with meals provided. Some temporary shelters are seasonal and operate until March 31, 2024, or April 30, 2024. There will be 512 temporary shelter spaces open throughout B.C., as of Nov. 1, 2023.
- Extreme weather-response (EWR) shelters: These 520 spaces open overnight when a community issues an extreme weather alert, such as during cold temperatures, snow or heavy rain. Communities determine what weather conditions necessitate an extreme weather alert in co-ordination with BC Housing. The EWR program is available from Oct. 15, 2023, until April 15, 2024.
In the coming weeks, BC Housing will finalize operating agreements to open more shelter spaces this season, as communities identify additional sites.
Given the extreme cold temperatures common in northern B.C., BC Housing has worked with providers to convert 135 temporary spaces into permanent, year-round shelters in northern communities so that more spaces are open nightly for the winter season and beyond.
Since last year, BC Housing has converted 1,652 temporary shelter spaces into permanent shelter spaces, providing continuity in funding to support a more sustainable approach to managing capacity pressures. Shelter programs are made possible through partnerships with communities and non-profit groups throughout the province to provide immediate places to stay for anyone who is experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Additionally, through the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, the Province provides reimbursements to local authorities and First Nations for opening emergency-warming centres during extreme weather. Warming centres help people warm up during cold weather and provide information about how to safely stay warm. Communities may be reimbursed for costs to establish warming centres, including facility rental and incremental utility costs.
While shelters provide immediate relief to people experiencing homelessness and benefit the community by bringing residents indoors, they are only one part of the housing system. 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.
Learn More:
To see a map of all permanent, temporary and EWR shelters throughout communities in B.C., visit: https://smap.bchousing.org/
For the most current information about warming centres in their area, people are encouraged to visit their local community website, X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook.
A backgrounder follows.