The B.C. Liberal government will fund 10 extreme weather shelter spaces in 100 Mile House this winter to help those whose health and safety may be threatened by cold, wet weather.”
The temporary spaces, located at the 99 Mile Motel and operated by Canadian Mental Health Association-South Cariboo Branch, will be available until March 31, 2015, as communities throughout British Columbia, including 100 Mile House, issue extreme weather alerts for their areas.
“Shelter is such an important and urgent need for those who are without a home during the cold and wet months of winter,” says Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett.
“Our government provides the funding and the community provides the warm, safe place to stay, for anyone who needs it to begin a journey out of homelessness.”
Each community decides what weather conditions warrant an alert and how many spaces to activate on a given night, depending on the capacity of existing shelters and the estimated need.
Throughout the province, the government will provide up to $1.6 million this winter to make more than 1,100 temporary emergency shelter spaces serving more than 90 communities.
The government also funds outreach teams to help connect people with a range of services, such as housing, health care and community supports. Last year, more than 6,700 people in B.C. were connected to these supports by provincially funded homeless outreach and shelter workers.
