A wind warning is in effect for Metro Vancouver, and a rainy and cold weekend is in the forecast, putting the emphasis back on the problem of homelessness.
Surrey, White Rock, Vernon, and Nanaimo have all issued an extreme weather alerts and on the Downtown Eastside, shelters are already seeing winter volumes.
Lani Johnson with Lookout Society said on Unfiltered with Aaron McArthur they had to turn away 120 people Thursday night.
“It is already tough just with the regular amount of people, not even on an extreme weather night. We do not have enough space,” says Johnson.
Union Gospel Mission has 72 shelter beds in Vancouver, but Keela Keeping with the mission says they have not opened up the extra beds yet.
“We have been full every single night in November. It’s been quite busy out there,” says Keeping.
The B.C. government says it will provide up to $1.5 million this winter to make more than 1,100 temporary emergency shelter spaces available in over 80 communities.
“Each winter, the B.C. government works with communities and volunteers around the province to make sure that extra shelter space is available during the cold winter months,” housing minister Rich Coleman told Global News in a statement. “These additional spaces supplement permanent, year-round services and provide an extra layer of support to make sure that everyone has a warm, safe place to stay.”
Johnson says they often have to turn people away even though the weather is taking a turn for the worse.
“The number one killer of people who are homeless in Metro Vancouver is respiratory illnesses, often the flu or pneumonia…because they are stuck in the wet and the cold.”
Johnson says things like fleece blankets that stay warm and dry up quickly can go a long way for the homeless people who get turned away.
She says they are always looking for donations of warm clothing, brand new underwear and even bus tickets, which can be an important mean of getting the homeless to other shelters and appointments.
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