More than 100 beds are being made available to some of Burnaby’s most vulnerable residents to coincide with the recent arrival of cold weather.
Council was presented Dec. 6 with the Homelessness Response: Winter 2021/2022 report, a plan indicating where available beds are and what contingencies will go into place in the event of a prolonged cold snap.
The following existing services will be available this winter:
- Douglas Shelter: 2294 Douglas Rd. (25 beds)
- Emergency Response Centre: 3680 Sperling Ave. (40 beds)
- COVID-19 Isolation Centre: up to 34 beds in a local hotel for homeless individuals who need to isolate because of COVID-19
- Extreme Weather Shelters: Southside Community Church, 7135 Walker Ave. Twelve beds from the 1st to the 15th of the month. Westminster Bible Chapel, 7540 6th St. Ten beds from the 16th to the end of month.
According to a city staff report, the extreme weather shelters are activated when conditions are deemed “severe enough to present substantial threat to the life and/or health of homeless persons.”
When activated, the shelters will operate from 8:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. and remain as an option until March 31, 2022.
Extreme weather is defined by any of the following weather patterns:
- temperatures at or below 0 C, where temperatures are not absolute and flexible to other weather conditions
- wind chill that feels like 2 C
- snow accumulation
- three or more days of rainfall that make it difficult or impossible for people to remain dry
- freezing rain and/or sleet
- severe wind warning
If necessary, a temporary emergency warming centre will also open at a site to be determined. The warming centre would open within a 72-hour period when existing services reach or anticipate reaching maximum capacity. The warming centre would open only during evening hours.
Both the Douglas Shelter and Emergency Response Centre are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The locations of the COVID-19 isolation centres were not listed in the city staff report. BC Housing and Progressive Housing Society oversee the funding and management of those beds, with funding secured until the end of March 2022.
The Task Force to End Homelessness in Burnaby conducted its point-in-time homeless count in March to provide a snapshot of homelessness in the city.
The results saw an 80% increase (124) from the previous homeless count that was conducted in 2017 (69), though only one in four people four people wanted to be included in the homeless count at the time.
As of Dec. 9, Environment Canada’s seven-day forecast pointed to average overnight lows hovering around 2 C with the prospect of more snow beginning Dec. 13.
– with files from Jess Balzer
