Vancouver shelters concerned about capacity during B.C. storms

An intense burst of wet weather means more pressure on local shelters, and folks without a home need them to stay safe from the elements.

Nadia Tchoumi with the Union Gospel Mission says they had to turn 19 people away at the height of the last storm because they had reached full capacity, and now another is on the way.

“We saw the amount of rain falling across the Metro [Vancouver] area and we were concerned for what that would mean for folks living on the streets,” she said. “We know that in these extreme weather conditions, whether it’s extreme heat in the summer, or extreme rain, the risk to life and safety is escalated all that much more for folks who have no protection from the elements.”

This #BCStorm is especially tough on our neighbours who are struggling with homelessness. When extreme weather hits, people on the streets face dangerous conditions.

We need to all work together to #endhomelessness and protect people from the #BCStorm https://t.co/JELy7bJ07g

— Union Gospel Mission (@ugm) November 15, 2021

She found it concerning because they had just increased their shelter space and weren’t expecting to be overrun with guests so soon.

“We went from 72 beds to 92 beds. During COVID, you just have to get creative and make more space to accommodate more folks who were in need of a place to spend the night, so the fact that we’re seeing increased capacity and I’m still seeing turnaways in the high double digits again — we are concerned,” she said.

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The pandemic added another layer of logistical labour to housing people in a shared space. Mask-wearing, sanitization, and social distancing requirements still need to be respected in shelters, which puts strict limits on how many people can be in a room at a time.

Looking ahead to this weekend, with more rain in the forecast, Tchoumi is worried she’ll see a similar situation unfold. She doesn’t want to have to turn people away when they’re in need.

“We know there are other shelters in the area and we’re of course always in contact with other places to be able to send them elsewhere, but I think the concern is that if people come to us and we’re at capacity, there’s just nothing we can do,” she said.

“The mobile Mission has been great, going through the area and finding the folks who are sleeping on the street and able to provide the resources — sleeping bags and wet weather gear.”

“When I was struggling, UGM didn’t look at me differently. At UGM’s holiday dinners like Christmas, people come from all over to share a meal. They have big smiles.”

Right now, your donation will DOUBLE to provide 2X as many warm meals and beds: https://t.co/jasKmKp0aR pic.twitter.com/BPHlS0zUDq

— Union Gospel Mission (@ugm) November 23, 2021

Tchoumi says they will always accept donations of wet weather gear at their East Hastings St. location, and money is gratefully accepted online.

“We will never turn away a donation, especially in a situation like this when there’s such a need,” she said.