Temporary winter shelters at full capacity

VANCOUVER – The first two temporary winter shelters in Vancouver are operating at full capacity, the city said in a press release.

People are allowed to bring shopping carts and pets into the shelters, a new policy that was recommended in the coroner’s report into the death of Dawn Bergman in December 2008.

Dawn Bergman was a homeless woman who died a brutal death in December 2008 when a candle ignited her shopping cart in Vancouver’s West End. She is better known to the public by her street name, Tracy.

“With both shelters filling to capacity within days of opening, we’re seeing just how big the demand is for shelter and housing in our city,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “It’s not just the Downtown Eastside that needs housing – it’s neighbourhoods across Vancouver.

“By having these shelters open until April 30, we’re able to help some of our most vulnerable citizens have a safe and secure place to stay this winter.”

The two temporary shelters – at 677 East Broadway and 1435 Granville – were opened with funding from the city and the province as part of the City of Vancouver’s Winter Response Strategy on Homelessness.

The shelters, operated by RainCity Housing, are funded through a $1.2-million contribution from the province and $500,000 from the city. Each shelter provides room for 40 people.

“We have a diverse range of people coming to the shelters, from people as young as 19 who have been living on the street for years, to people who have lost their job and can’t afford to make rent,” said Mark Smith, executive director of RainCity Housing.

“Even though both shelters operate outside of the Downtown Eastside, we are still turning people away because there are so many people sleeping on the streets in both Mount Pleasant and Downtown South.”

The shelters will close on April 30, 2010. In the meantime, they provide two meals a day and stay open 24 hours a day. The shelters have a bed-booking system to reduce the need for lineups.

The city plans to open two more temporary winter shelters, one in Kitsilano and one in the West End, in the coming weeks. Locations are still being determined.

The city estimates there are about 1,600 homeless people in Vancouver.