Whereas the Province, through BC Housing, supports emergency shelters and temporary winter shelters that are operational from November 1 to March 31, but not outside of that period: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province to re-establish extreme weather response shelters funding to enable local governments to open an extreme weather response shelter for homeless and vulnerable populations, when Environment Canada issues an extreme weather alert for any conditions including cold or heat.
Attorney General and Minister responsible for Housing The Provinces Extreme Weather Response EWR program is enabled through the Assistance to Shelter Act and administered by BC Housing in partnership with participant communities each year. The program is annually funded during the winter season, from November 1 to March 31. EWR shelters are not open every night. Communities coordinate plans to open and operate emergency shelter beds activated during extreme weather conditions. Communities decide what weather conditions warrant an alert and how many spaces to activate on a given night, depending on the capacity of existing shelters and the estimated need. Shelters are activated when local communities issue an extreme weather alert or, in regions without a plan, by issuance of the Minister. The EWR shelters supplement 2,250 year-round shelter spaces in BC. There are also temporary shelters that operate seasonally, or longer, and are open on a nightly basis, or 247, and provide meals and health services. Capacity Expansion shelters are temporary shelters that have been extended or opened in order to provide shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 31, 2022 there are 2,176 temporary or expansion capacity shelter spaces in 42 communities across B.C., with 45 located in the Lower Mainland please note that temporary or EWR shelter spaces close on March 31st, however, individual shelters may remain open as community need dictates. The EWR program has been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in both the availability of shelter bedsspaces and the capacity of organizations which rely on volunteers and part-time staff to provide services. In winter 202122, the Province provided nearly 360 extreme weather response shelter spaces to ensure people experiencing homelessness have a warm place to sleep and can get out of the cold and rain. The Province also provided non-profit groups access to funding as early as October 1st to allow shelters to open in communities already experiencing extreme weather. British Columbia has experienced extreme weather events in the summer months as well, including heat and smoke, which can be dangerous for people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. Government is working across ministries to address the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. This includes working together to support the development of a heat response framework for B.C., including protocols to protect vulnerable populations. Communities across BC have also started planning for year-round extreme weather responses through federal-provincial Safe Restart funding opportunities such as the 100 million Strengthening Community Services Fund, which provides for temporary expanded shelters and supports for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness and vulnerable populations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.