Homeless shelters usually see a lower volume of visits during the summer months – but Vancouver Union Gospel Mission says this year has been different.
The organization says they’ve seen a large increase in the number of homeless coming from outside the province.
“We’ve seen a notable increase over the last three months, especially year over year,” says Jeremy Hunka with the Union Gospel Mission.
“We’re talking a 50 per cent increase in people coming to UGM without housing, with very little means to provide for themselves.”
He says many of the new faces are from Alberta, which is dealing with an economic downturn.
Hunka says that unless something changes, the problem is only going to get worse.
Just earlier this year two notable newcomers from Saskatchewan arrived to the city.
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Charles Neil-Curly and Jeremy Roy arrived to Vancouver from North Battleford after getting one-way tickets from the province.
Both received help from UGM, but the organizations fears things will only get worse.
With files from Catherine Urquhart