PARKSVILLE – People experiencing homelessness in the Oceanside region can now find a safe and warm place to sleep this winter as BC Housing and community groups open new shelter beds in the region.

The location of the shelter will rotate between seven different community churches one night per week until the end of February 2020. The shelter will then transition to Mt. Arrowsmith Salvation Army Church for all of March. Faced with the need and lack of traditional options, BC Housing is partnering with the Oceanside Homelessness Ecumenical Advocacy Response Team Society — a new community-based group that came together to operate the shelter.

The community churches are:

• Arbutus Grove Reformed Church
• Knox United Church
• Oceanside Community Church
• Catholic Church of The Ascension
• Parksville Fellowship Baptist Church
• Christian Fellowship Centre Church
• Anglican Church of St. Anne/St. Edmund

Each shelter location will provide eight beds for people in need. In addition to beds, the society will provide shelter guests with two daily meals and transportation to and from each shelter location and a pick-up point. Shelter guests can meet at the Mt. Arrowsmith Salvation Army at 187 Alberni Hwy daily at 5 p.m. to be taken to each shelter location. Effective Dec. 19, the shelter will be open from 6 p.m. to 7:15 a.m. each night.

In addition to these shelter beds, the Province opened 52 supportive homes in July 2019 for people experiencing homelessness in Parksville.

Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Learn More:

To see a map of permanent and temporary shelters in B.C., visit: 
http://www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/homelessness-services/emergency-shelter-map
A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Media Relations
778 584-2433

BC Housing
media@bchousing.org