Fifty new shelter beds coming to Victoria for unhoused people with COVID-19

Fifty new shelter spaces are coming to Victoria in the coming weeks to support unhoused residents who need a place to self-isolate or recover from COVID-19.

Thirty of the beds will be set up in existing shelters and housing stock, and another 20 pop-up spaces will be ready next month at a location that will not be made public out of respect for the privacy of its occupants.

“We’re in a triage process right now,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, who made the announcement Friday with B.C. Attorney General David Eby, and Island Health chief medical officer Dr. Richard Stanwick.

“If somebody is identified on the street with COVID and no fixed address, there is a place to go, but we don’t know what the next months and weeks hold, which is why we’re grateful.”

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On Thursday, public health officials announced 64 new cases of COVID-19 in the Island Health region, which has experienced more than 3,000 new infections in the past month.

Stanwick said it’s not clear what percentage of that group is unhoused.

“We do know this is a population that is clearly experiencing challenges,” he said. “Are we looking at a perfect solution? No, but we’ll try to accommodate them as best we can.”

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As it stands, there are already at least 287 self-isolation spaces in Victoria.

Eby, who is also the minister responsible for housing, also said B.C. Housing has confirmed that as of 9 p.m. Thursday night, beds were available for every single person who was COVID-positive and wanted to come inside.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged there’s “hardly any give left in the system,” and housing providers and non-profits that work to support the population experiencing homelessness have not had a moment to “catch their breath.”

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In the past few months, he said close to 200 people have been moved inside from encampments like those that were set up in Beacon Hill Park and Stadacona Park.

“Any significant demand for service,” however, could push the system over the edge, he explained, leading to Friday’s announcement of additional shelter space.