Whereas the Province, through BC Housing and the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness EMCR, supports year round emergency shelters and temporary winter shelters operational from November 1st to March 31st; And whereas since 2022 extreme weather response warmingcooling centres to support vulnerable populations which often tend to be for those with acute mental health and substance use disorders: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that BC Housing, EMCR and health authorities ensure that they support local governments with commitments to provide resourcing for dedicated predetermined long-term locations for warmingcooling centres as well as appropriately qualified professionals experienced in managing community members with high health needs including mental health and substance use disorders.
Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Extreme weather events, including extreme heat or cold, are becoming more frequent, and projected to become more severe, due to climate change. The province has made historic investments to support communities in preparing for the risk of natural disasters related to climate change, including contributing 180 million to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund in 2023 for a total of 369 million. This funding can support our common goal of mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events. For example, this fund supported the City of Kelownas response plan for extreme cold weather, which is primarily focused on risks to vulnerable populations. Kelowna is using this fund to develop a collaborative approach with community service providers and those with lived experience to mitigate the related health and safety risks. Additionally, the province provides guidance and incremental funding for local authorities to proactively open cooling and warming centres to keep people safe. Communities may request an Emergency Management and Climate Readiness EMCR Task number when Environment Canada issues a Weather Notification, or when a community activates their extreme weather emergency plan. The supports through EMCR are intended to provide additional mechanisms to support a community response to extreme weather events. These supports are not intended to be ongoing program supports, such as the shelter programs that are supported through BC Housing including the Extreme Weather Response program that complements permanent and temporary shelters during the winter season. In the absence of a community extreme weather emergency plan, incremental funding support is provided following the parameters as listed under the Assistance to Shelter Regulation. A warming centre is a place for people to go to warm up and get information on how to safely stay warm where they reside, they are not a substitute for overnight shelters. Community-based mental health and substance use services are provided by regional health authorities and available to people who require support. Examples include: - New teams to keep people connected to services and treatment: Sixteen substance-use teams throughout the province help people stay connected to health-care services, treatment and recovery. Services are tailored to each community, provided by a range of professionals, including nurses, counsellors, social workers and peers. Teams support adults, including young adults, in communities throughout BC, including Vancouver, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Prince George and Nanaimo. - 247 support for people living with serious mental-health challenges: People living with severe mental-health challenges have access to 32 Assertive Community Treatment teams throughout BC that provide 247 supports. Teams are in every health authority in BC, including Kelowna, Kamloops, Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Prince George. Services include crisis assessment and intervention, psychiatric or psychological treatment, medication management and more.