The province recognizes that there is a continued need for more safe, indoor housing and shelter spaces in communities across B.C., including in Duncan and the Cowichan Valley, according to the Ministry of Housing.
The statement is in response to questions asked of Grace Lore, B.C.’s Minister of Children and Family Development, by the Cowichan Valley Citizen when she was in Duncan on June 10 to announce that a new $4-million emergency shelter for youth will be set up in the Cowichan Valley.
The minister was asked what the province can do to assist local governments and social agencies in their ongoing efforts to find a more suitable location for a regional emergency weather shelter, and if the provincial government will continue to download responsibilities it is responsible for, like social housing, to local governments — a common complaint among local government officials.
In response, the Ministry of Housing said to help address the need for an emergency weather shelter, the province, through BC Housing, funds 25 permanent year-round shelter spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Duncan.
In addition, the statement said the province recently extended operating funding for The Village supportive housing in Duncan, ensuring 34 vulnerable people in the community continue to have access to safe, secure homes with supports until 2027.
“We understand there will be a need in the community for additional safe, secure shelter spaces for people to go, especially during the winter season as the cold weather intensifies,” the ministry said.
“BC Housing funds emergency shelters across the province, including Emergency Weather Response shelters, which open overnight when a community issues an extreme weather alert. The EWR program is community-led, and BC Housing relies on individual communities to identify and bring forward suitable sites for shelters.”
The statement said BC Housing has overnight shelter and EWR shelter funding available for more spaces, and is always willing to work with municipalities to identify suitable sites or secure shelter providers.
“The province, through BC Housing, funded a total of 6,105 shelter spaces in more than 50 communities throughout B.C., including permanent, temporary, and EWR shelters, through to the end of March, 2024,” the ministry said.
“Since 2017, overall shelter spaces in B.C. have increased by 45 per cent and permanent shelter spaces have doubled. The province continues to work with partners on comprehensive solutions to address root causes of homelessness and its many challenges. We recognize that shelters are not a long-term solution to homelessness, which is why we have nearly 78,000 homes delivered or underway since 2017, including 405 homes in the Cowichan Valley.”