The BC Government says the temporary shelter at the former Stuart Wood Elementary School in downtown Kamloops has been extended by another year.
The 25-bed shelter, which has been operational for the past four years, is now slated to close on April 30, 2025.
It will continue to be operated by Out of the Cold (OOTC), with the Province – through BC Housing – providing approximately $1.3 million in annual operating costs.
Out of the Cold Executive Director Renee Stein says they’re thrilled to be able to continue operations, telling Radio NL the facility on St Paul Street its often over capacity.
“It’s gone very very well and we’ve received some great business support and community support and so we are thrilled to be able to have that lease continued,” Stein said.
“To be able to provide that much needed service to all of the folks who come through our doors was very much welcomed.”
The Province says people at the shelter will have access to daily meals, laundry and shower facilities, as well as case management and health-care referrals. It also said the lease was extended in partnership with Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, the City of Kamloops, and OOTC.
Out of the Cold partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to operate the shelter at Stuart Wood School for three days a week in 2021 before taking on operations and expanding to seven days a week in 2022.
Stein says they’ve supported over 950 different people since November of 2022, when Out of the Cold began operating the Stuart Wood Shelter shelter at 245 St. Paul Street full-time.
“We’re still providing the same amount of services. We provide shelter through the overnights and then we provide outreach to the community during the day time,” she said, noting the facility is often over capacity. “If we only had a set 25 beds for the same 25 people, then you’re really limiting the amount of support that you can provide to a very vulnerable population base, and a continuing growing need in the City of Kamloops.”
“Not all folks are long term homeless, we have a lot of folks that are just needing that support in a short term basis.”
Stein previously told Radio NL that discussions were already underway with the City of Kamloops and BC Housing to try to find a more permanent site for their operations.
The 50-bed Merit Place shelter at the former Greyhound bus depot on Notre Dame Drive – which is operated by the Kamloops-branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association – is also set to stay operational until March 2025.
A new car wash is set to rise on that property in Sahali once the existing shelter lease expires.