KELOWNA – Responding to the extreme cold weather conditions, the Province is funding 20 new shelter spaces so people experiencing homelessness will have a warm place to stay.

With the support of the City of Kelowna, Interior Health and Metro, a temporary 10-hour-a-day shelter at 1265 Ellis St. will be open on Feb. 11, 2019, starting at 10 p.m., where people can access washrooms, laundry facilities, snacks, warm drinks and community services. The shelter is being managed by the John Howard Society of Central and South Okanagan and will have at least two staff members on-site to help people come in from the cold.

These shelter spaces are in addition to the 80 year-round shelter spaces and 80 temporary shelters available throughout the City of Kelowna.

In addition to shelter spaces, the Province’s Building BC program is funding 4,500 new supportive housing units throughout the province for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Learn More:

To see a map of permanent and temporary shelters in B.C., visit: https://www.bchousing.org/shelter

Read Homes for B.C., government’s 30-point plan to address housing affordability for British Columbians: https://bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2018/homesbc/2018_Homes_For_BC.pdf

Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
778 698-9176

Rajvir Rao
BC Housing
604 456-8917