The Town of Qualicum Beach is offering to establish a temporary all-day cold-weather shelter on land south of the Qualicum Beach Airport.
Town council passed a resolution directing staff to engage the province to allow the land to be used as a shelter for six months during the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide aid to a maximum of 15 individuals. It will be a 24-hour shelter.
“The town has been working with local governments within the region to find suitable lands to temporarily house our most vulnerable community members during these unprecedented times,” the town said in a press release. “Together, our local governments had identified the land south of the Qualicum Beach airport as the most appropriate location for a temporary cold weather shelter.”
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As the south airport land is held by the town via a longterm lease to the province, the province must approve both the term and conditions for this temporary land use.
The town first flagged these lands as a possible shelter location with the province in April of 2020, shortly after the effects of COVID-19 began to impact the region.
— NEWS Staff, submitted
