As the Thompson River rises during the spring snowmelt, operators of local shelters are also expecting demand to rise.
Acting executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Kamloops, Alfred Achoba, says his branch is preparing for more usage at the Kamloops Curling Club and Memorial Arena shelters.
“We’re starting to get that signal from bylaw and outreach, who are trying to engage these folks along the riverbanks. And so the hope is we will see that number grow over the next few weeks,” Achoba says, adding that CMHA shelter spaces are around 70 per cent full.
Achoba he hopes street-affected people will use those shelters, and access their services, saying there’s a portion of people on street who refuse to access shelter housing.
“Almost 10 per cent to 20 per cent of folks in shelter are finding housing monthly. And so the opportunity is that when they come indoors, they can receive services.”
The shelters at the curling club and the arena will be in place until August 31. Leases at both spaces were originally set to expire on March 31 but were extended through the summer months.
“We don’t want to force anyone back to living on the streets,” BC Housing said in an email to NL News last month, when it confirmed the extension on the leases.