A new homeless shelter has been opened up at 875 Terminal Ave.
The shelter, called Klahowya Tillicum Lalum, is a partnership between the city, province and Lu'ma Native Housing Society (LNHS) and will provide 60 beds along with showers, laundry and access to meals.
"With shelter, meals, and supportive connections to a variety of services we are optimistic this will lead to more permanent housing outcomes," says Kevin Eaton, a director with LNHS. "With Indigenous homelessness representing 39 per cent of the recent homelessness count, we are hopeful that this will be a step toward self-sufficiency."
The pod system used by the shelter will both give clients privacy and help create social distancing.
"Low-barrier shelters are key in ensuring our residents experiencing unsheltered homelessness can come inside and stay 24 hours a day if needed,” says Celine Mauboules, the city's managing director of homelessness services.
This is the second shelter to open this month, with the first opening at the old Army & Navy Store at 15-27 West Hastings St. It's also a 60-bed shelter. Both were scheduled to open in April.
As with other shelters, the hope is once people are in the shelters they'll connect with services and move toward permanent housing says Mauboules.
