No winter shelter in the Tri-Cities identified, ministry confirms
As the days shorten and temperatures drop, the Tri-Cities still have no viable temporary winter shelter or extreme weather response shelter for the unhoused population.
On Nov. 6, the province announced funding for nearly 6,500 shelter spaces in 58 communities this winter. The Tri-Cities were not included, despite only having one homeless shelter, 3030 Gordan, that is at capacity.
“To date, no viable temporary winter shelter (TWS) or extreme weather response (EWR) shelter sites have been identified and brought forward by the city of Port Coquitlam or Port Moody for this season,” explained a ministry spokesperson in a statement to The Dispatch.
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But they added that BC Housing and the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs are working to find a “suitable location” in Coquitlam, “as soon as possible.”
Winter shelter program shuts down
Previously, Progressive Housing Society had run a winter shelter program with several churches each taking an approximately one-month turn to open their doors at night to provide shelter for homeless people over the winter months.
The organization would pick people up at a few designated spots around the Tri-Cities and drive them to participating churches to sleep. In the mornings, they’d drive them back to the same spot and drop them off.
Ryan McCormick, the co-director of community programs for the Progressive Housing Society, previously told The Dispatch that this model was only meant to be “temporary.”
Church capacity, zoning issues, and community concerns were among the reasons they backed out, he said.
The Kyle Centre had also previously served as an extreme weather shelter, opening for vulnerable folks during severe weather. But Port Moody didn’t run it last year and won’t be doing so this year, either.
McCormick said this means unhoused people’s options are limited: they can go to other cities to find shelters, sleep outside, or find temporary arrangements.
“The options are not really good for folks in the Tri-Cities that are unsheltered,” he said.
According to the most recent point-in-time homeless count, there are approximately 144 homeless people in the Tri-Cities.
“Additional shelter spaces are expected to open through the winter season as BC Housing works with municipalities to identify locations and finalize shelter plans,” said the Ministry.
Information on shelters can be found on BC Housing’s online shelter map.
