Vancouver shelter says there’s limited space for unhoused amid freezing snow

People experiencing homelessness could face challenging outdoor conditions as Metro Vancouver experiences freezing temperatures.

Amanda Burrows, Interim Executive Director of First United Church, says its shelter on Alexander Street is full of people trying to escape the cold. The shelter only has 49 beds and Burrows says, people are sadly denied at the door.

“We know we need more shelters. There are not enough beds in the community to meet the need because of course, there’s not enough safe and secure permanent housing to be offered. It’s so cold out there right now and we just cannot meet the demand, the city cannot meet the demand and it’s a regional problem as well,” Burrows said

Burrows adds that the church’s main facility is under redevelopment, which could have accommodated over a hundred more people. She says extreme weather alerts are becoming more frequent, even during the summer when the days get too hot.

“With something that happens every year, I feel like there comes a time we need to have much nuanced, coordinated and planned approach to problems we know come up seasonally and I do not see that we have that holistic, coordinated approach across the region. And I think a lot of folks are responsible for that,” she said.

Related article: Snow for Lower Mainland, limited shelter space for unhoused

Burrows adds the downtown shelter is particularly popular due to it being a pet friendly, low-barrier co-ed shelter that offers three meals a day. Burrows says they can’t help but feel helpless during moments when they aren’t able to open their doors to more people.

Please share: Additional shelter spaces and warming centres are available tonight through Monday, February 27, due to an Extreme Weather Alert.

Details below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3t8HvA2QRF

— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) February 25, 2023

At the Union Gospel Mission (UGM), Nicole Mucci says they’ve been turning an average of six people away at night due to the lack of space. UGM says when emergency shelters open, they turn away an average of two.

“Every single time one of our outreach workers is faced with the impossible task of telling someone that there isn’t space at UGM or anywhere, it’s a really difficult conversation. It’s difficult for the individual who came to us seeking shelter, and it’s really difficult for the outreach workers. It wears on people. It’s hard on the soul and it’s hard on the emotions for everybody involved,” she said.

The City of Vancouver says it has additional shelter spaces and warming centres available through Monday Feb. 27 due to an extreme weather alert.

with files from Sonia Aslam