BC Housing is moving ahead on the temporary emergency homeless shelter at 98 First Avenue S. in Williams Lake.
“I think we’re in a very good position here,” said Tyler Baker, director of regional development Interior for BC Housing.
“We have the support of the city to move forward quickly and to expedite the renovations so that we can bring people inside. That’s really what the main thrust of this is, to provide shelter spaces so that people can come indoors.”
Baker said the project will be a priority in order to ensure they can have people indoors at the shelter before the winter.
The building did experience a flood recently, and they are still assessing the impacts of the flood on their project, but the budget for the renovations at this point is for $1.2 million in upgrades. The project will be for a 40-person emergency shelter to make a safe and functional facility for people needing access to temporary shelter.
The current shelter at the Hamilton Hotel is not a safe environment, according to staff, noting drug users need to be able to be monitored.
Baker said the operating budget for the facility will be an ongoing investment of $2 million into the community to run the site, which the provincial government confirmed Friday will come from the province’s Permanent Housing Plan.
At a March 26 meeting, the city council voted four-to-two in favour of granting the organization statutory immunity for a proposed temporary shelter which would replace the existing Hamilton Hotel shelter.
There was some strong opposition to the shelter location, but Baker is optimistic going forward.
“We have a supportive council and I feel like as a whole, we’re on the same page of the need to provide this 40-bed shelter space year round,” he said.
Statutory immunity allowed the project to go ahead without a lengthy rezoning process and does not change the zoning for the location. When BC Housing is able to find a more permanent solution, the building will revert to existing zoning of C-1, town centre commercial.
Baker emphasized the shelter is step one.
“This is one piece of the overall housing system,” said Baker, noting BC Housing already has supportive housing for seniors in the community, there is permanent supportive housing plans underway, and they currently fund another shelter at the Hamilton at the moment.
This is also in addition to providing rent supplements for many to access the housing market.
“I know the shelter is taking up a lot of the conversation right now, but this is one piece of the overall housing system,” he said.
Jubilee Place, a proposed supportive housing development near the top of Carson Drive, is a project Coun. Sheila Boehm pressed BC Housing on in the council meetings.
Baker said the project is still in the planning stages, and BC Housing will be looking to hire the consultants needed to complete potential designs for the site. The project will also require special consideration as there are currently people living at the facility, and those people will need to be relocated while the site is redeveloped.
“It’s quite complicated when we have an occupied site,” he said, noting there are people and funding currently dedicated to the project.
Baker said there will continued opportunities for BC Housing and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) to have conversations with neighbours as the project moves along. CMHA Cariboo Chilcotin will be operating the facility for BC Housing.
“Hopefully people’s fears around the worst-case scenario can be alleviated with information as it becomes available,” he said.
In a news release issued Friday, minister of housing Ravi Kaholon said people who are sheltering outdoors should have access to a safe and warm place to stay
“When this new shelter opens, 40 people experiencing homelessness will be able to access beds, basic supports and connections to essential services in the community 24/7 all year round. Bringing people indoors and providing them with supports is crucial to ensuring that people get the care they need to move out of homelessness.”
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor noted the city is committed to working together with all organizations and stakeholders to help ensure the vulnerable population is supported and “any issues related to the operation of this temporary facility are addressed in a timely fashion.”
Tereena Donahue, executive director of CMHA-CC added there continues to be a strong need for more shelter spaces in Williams Lake and the new 98 1st Ave. S. location will help address this.
“We are excited to open the space and look forward to continuing our support for the Williams Lake community,” she said.
Baker said conversations around the types of impacts people might see and who the appropriate people to come and address any concerns will need to take place.
‘We’re here to work with the neighbours to make this part of their community,” he said.
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