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By Dylana Kneeshaw

HOMELESSNESS IN WINTER

Shelter spaces in Kamloops ready to handle seasonal increase

Nov 10, 2020 | 4:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — With transition plans and beds at the ready, the Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops branch and City Social Services have entered the winter shelter season with confidence.

“Feels really good going into the winter knowing that nobody is going to have to sleep unsheltered hopefully,” says Ty Helgason, the City of Kamloops’ Social and Community Development Supervisor.

The COVID-19 pandemic required local shelters to do some adjusting in the spring to make sure clients could be spaced out, which resulted in a heightened level of preparation for this winter. In fact, Helgason says they’re better prepared than last year.

“So we still have 40 beds at Emerald Centre with the additional spacing, we now have 30 at Panorama to help out with the people who were displaced, opened the Royal Avenue temporary shelter which is now up to 35 beds, and the Mustard Seed is operating with 20 shelter units as well.”

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As part of the seasonal change, the Branch facility on Royal Avenue has been busy managing an increase in people looking for a safe place to sleep.

“We’re operating now at 95 per cent,” explains CMHA Operations Manager Alfred Achoba, “In the last few weeks we’ve had to improvise and make more shelter beds. So we’ve increased the beds here by 10 beds, and we also have other sites that will be activated to make room for the demand we’re seeing.”

However, the temporary shelter run by the CMHA will close at the end of December and the 50 unused overflow pods at Memorial Arena will also be removed. To prevent a gap in service, Helgason says new locations are being scouted and there are overflow spaces that can be utilized at existing shelters.

“We are looking into some other sites, working closely with the service providers and BC Housing to figure that out. We have a couple of plans in mind and I think we can go into winter really prepared.”

Helgason notes that the increase in shelter demand is partly as result of the organizations reducing the barriers to accessing beds.

“So extra storage for their things, extra security and reducing the curfews. Additionally, the outreach teams with ASK Wellness, Interior Community Services (ICS), A Way Home, have all been working together to try to encourage people they encounter to either move in to shelters or access other forms of housing rather than staying outside.”

As temperatures drop and snow falls, Achoba wants to assure people experiencing homelessness that they won’t be left out in the cold.

“There are beds, and you can get a warm place to stay, food to eat — so come indoors.”