Murray Love speaking with CFJC on May 13, 2024. (Image Credit: Adam Donnelly / CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN KAMLOOPS

‘It’s really rough’; Kamloops street population hit with loss of two drop-in programs

May 13, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — After the closure of The Loop facility on the city’s North Shore, and the upcoming end to day room services at the Mustard Seed, Kamloops will lose key meals for its homeless population.

CFJC spoke with a man living on the streets, who is concerned about the impending changes.

Murray Love is one of many people in Kamloops with no fixed address who rely on drop-in programs and other services for meals and basic necessities. But when the Mustard Seed Kamloops’ day room services close this summer, he’s concerned about where to get that next meal.

“The Seed, that’s two meals a day. That’s lunch and dinner. And they’re serving like 45-to-60 people per day, per meal,” he says. “You know, that’s a lot of food being taken away and the sad thing about is there are people out there who are going to shoplift more.”

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Between the Day Room ending, and the closure of The Loop, a drop-in facility along Tranquille Road, Love says the daily meals that he and others depend on will be gone.

“It’s really rough. Every day is a fight when you’re out there.”

The 57-year-old wasn’t always living on the streets. Love says he became homeless amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s on disability and hasn’t been able to secure a place to rent, describing how people often hang up on him.

“Since then, you know, I call and look for a place. You know, I answer ads and this and that. And they’ll say, well we need your last landlord’s information and your last address, and I tell them, “well I’m homeless,”. *click*”

Love feels the closure of drop-in spaces is another example of gaps in supportive service availability. He would like to see better opportunities for people to access food, affordable rentals and addictions treatment.

“They get clean, they wait, they get into a treatment centre and they’re there for 30 or 60 days. But they’ve got no place to go (after). Well here, we’ll go back to square one and put you back on the street in Kamloops. Great, you know? A guy might last a week and then he’s right back into it again. And that’s not helping.”

Love and some of the people in Kamloops who are living without a home are planning to hold a peaceful protest. Recognizing they can’t solve every street-related issue, but wanting to reiterate that a drop-in facility for meals and other basics is needed.

“We want to get facts, we want to get help, we want support. We’re not being mean and angry. We want our city council and these other organizations to step up to the ball and get what they’re paid for. BC Housing pays them good money.”

There’s no set date for their demonstration yet, and in the meantime, Love hopes to gather more supportive voices.