The provincial government announced this morning that five Vancouver emergency shelters slated to close at the end of the month will remain open until the end of May.
The homelessness emergency action team (HEAT), put in place by Mayor Gregor Robertson in 2008, was responsible for the initial opening of the emergency shelters, but at the end of the month, the shelters were rumoured to be facing closure due to lack of funds.
Vancouver councilor Kerry Jang said the extension is not a permanent solution.
According to Jang, Premier Campbell and Rich Coleman, the housing and social development minister and head of the homelessness intervention project, decided over the weekend to keep the shelters open for another three months.
Jang said the shelters provide some stability for some of the homeless population and are target locations for outreach workers.
When asked about a solution to homelessness, Jang said, "I think we should have a year round shelter, I think there is a need for one; it's certainly an entry point for people to get into the system. We don't want shelters to be the solution, because they're not, they're clearly temporary and they're clearly crisis management."
According to Jang, the government needs to start investing in in-term housing to prepare homeless people for permanent housing by teaching them social skills and job skills.
The Vancouver Downtown Business Improvement association (VDBIA) has observed and documented fewer homeless people on the streets in the past six months -- from 180 daily in September, 2008, to 13 daily in January, 2009. Charles Gauthier, executive director of the VDBIA, credits emergency homeless shelters with the decrease in visual homelessness.
"Three months is a good in-term solution, but we're certainly going to be advocating for long term solutions," said Gauthier, adding that closing shelters after a three-month extension would be a step backwards.
"Closing the doors to the shelters is really not an option now," he said. "I think we have given these people some hope. I think they're having more interactions with providers, either health care providers or people who can put them in touch with people they need to get in touch with to get welfare."
Gauthier said that if shelters are working, they should be kept open indefinitely to help homeless people access support. It costs roughly $36 to shelter one homeless person for one night. With 500 clients in HEAT shelters, the program will cost the provincial government $18,000 per day.
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morechatter
3 years ago
Keep The Homeless Out of Sight
Until the election is over as rumour is there are many more headed to the streets and considering all the controversay around the homelessness issue its a logical move by the Liberals to keep things under rap. Oh and wanted to make a correction on the Cash Store its not that they are charging 50% interest its the fees that work out to 50% of what ever you borrow bringing it to 50%. Like say if the homeless person wanted to borrow on their disability cheque they could borrow $200 and they would end up paying back $300 in interest and fees as the homeless need money to survive for a couple days anyways as BC government has ensured these loans sorta as GST and PST of the Homeless turned over to Cash Store if unable to pay.
morechatter
3 years ago
Gauthiers says there is Hope
As he talks about the shelters and assisting people and families who need help but what do you do for those who have been turned down by welfare or cut off? What kinda hope do you give these people or are those the hopeless who are left to their own demise?
morechatter
3 years ago
Last thing $1086.00 per month is crazy
At $36 dollars a day this government has been dishing out $1200 a month per person so people can crowd in a room at night and sleep on cots. While the police spend there days following them around writing tickets and ambulances picking them up as many are sick. Shelter costs for a family are $575.00 for the month heat included as government ensures if your paying your rent your not eating and if your eating your living on the street eating the cities garbage as Quest sells its Junkie candy to the homeless.
Frank
3 years ago
Oh lordie
"The provincial government announced this morning that five Vancouver emergency shelters slated to close at the end of the month will remain open until the end of May."
Cynicism thy name is Campbell.
As proven by his DUI our premier can get away with anything.