Homelessness

A temporary shelter, built with umbrellas, serves as a dry place to sleep for one of the Peninsula’s unhoused residents. The issue of homeless people on the streets in White Rock cannot be solved simply by police or city intervention, the city’s chief administrative officer said during a recent council meeting. (Geoffrey Yue photo)

Being homeless ‘not a crime’ – White Rock CAO

Guillermo Ferrero speaks out on concerns regarding homeless population

 

Tides of Change community action team co-chair George Passmore (centre) participated in the 2022 International Day of Overdose Awareness event last August in White Rock, along with (left to right): Priscilla Dutt, Ryan Nielson,  and Matt Huot. (File photo)

Peninsula drug crisis team emphasizes compassion

Tides of Change co-chair tells White Rock council users must be treated with dignity

 

Participants in a previous Coldest Night of the Year event pose for a photo near the Cloverdale Community Kitchen. (Photo submitted: Cloverdale Community Kitchen)

Cloverdale Community Kitchen cruising toward 2023 fundraising goal

Kitchen seeking to raise $250K as part of its Coldest Night of the Year charity walk

Participants in a previous Coldest Night of the Year event pose for a photo near the Cloverdale Community Kitchen. (Photo submitted: Cloverdale Community Kitchen)
Suhaandeep Gill spent last week delivering special treat bags to shelters in Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and Mission. (Jessica Peters/Abbotsford News)

Kid Cupid: Young Abbotsford boy delivers love to the streets with Valentine’s Day bags

Suhaandeep Gill, 7, created thoughtful bags of much-needed items to give to three city shelters

Suhaandeep Gill spent last week delivering special treat bags to shelters in Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and Mission. (Jessica Peters/Abbotsford News)
A report released on Jan. 16 details the complex issue of homelessness affecting Indigenous people in the city of Surrey. More needs to be done to meaningfully address homelessness in the city catered towards Indigenous people, which conductors of the report find a lack of. (File photo)

Indigenous people experiencing homelessness a growing, complex concern in Surrey

Trauma from residential schools, poverty and discrimination among issues faced by Indigenous people

A report released on Jan. 16 details the complex issue of homelessness affecting Indigenous people in the city of Surrey. More needs to be done to meaningfully address homelessness in the city catered towards Indigenous people, which conductors of the report find a lack of. (File photo)
Dr. Charmaine Enns, the North Island medical health officer, recently sent a letter to Campbel River city council urging them to hold off on a illegal drug consumption bylaw. (Black Press file photo)

Health officer pushes back as B.C. town tries to step around drug decriminalization

Campbell River rejects plea to wait six months before forging ahead with drug use ban bylaw

Dr. Charmaine Enns, the North Island medical health officer, recently sent a letter to Campbel River city council urging them to hold off on a illegal drug consumption bylaw. (Black Press file photo)
Toque Tuesday action at Surrey Civic Plaza in 2017. (File photo)

Game on: Toque Tuesday returns with road hockey at Surrey City Hall plaza, to help homeless

The goal is to have fun around a very serious subject, event organizer says

Toque Tuesday action at Surrey Civic Plaza in 2017. (File photo)
Surrey City Hall. (File photo)

Surrey appoints 2 councillors, city to recruit volunteers for Homelessness and Housing Society board

The board typically had 10 to 12 members, up until 2020 when the previous council reduced the number of serving directors to three city councillors

Surrey City Hall. (File photo)
Khristina (last name withheld), seen here at Salish Park on Jan. 18, 2023, from Saskatchewan comes to Chilliwack twice a year to find her son who is living on the streets, and to hand out supplies to homeless people. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

Saskatchewan cattle rancher visits Fraser Valley twice a year to find her homeless son

‘I spent time with him, and that has to be enough’

Khristina (last name withheld), seen here at Salish Park on Jan. 18, 2023, from Saskatchewan comes to Chilliwack twice a year to find her son who is living on the streets, and to hand out supplies to homeless people. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)
Performer Blake Elliott presented a cheque for $10,000 from the ‘mister Blake foundation’ to Refresh Mobile Shower Ministry’s Bill Keyes in Abbotsford on Jan. 19. The ministry provides showers in a mobile unit to the unhoused, in partnership with other service providers in Abbotsford and Maple Ridge. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

Mobile shower ministry gets big boost to continue work in Fraser Valley

Abbotsford-based group has provided 2,600 showers to people in need since 2019

Performer Blake Elliott presented a cheque for $10,000 from the ‘mister Blake foundation’ to Refresh Mobile Shower Ministry’s Bill Keyes in Abbotsford on Jan. 19. The ministry provides showers in a mobile unit to the unhoused, in partnership with other service providers in Abbotsford and Maple Ridge. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)
Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

VIDEO: New hospital program helps Toronto’s homeless, cuts ambulance offload times

Stand-alone clinic provides space for people to recover from intoxication

Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Shelters in Abbotsford took in 250 people on Monday night, as a winter storm brought more than 20 cm of snow and temperatures dipped to nearly -20 C. There is no warming shelter during the day in Abbotsford, and the storm is expected to last until Friday. Pictured is the 5 and 2 Ministries shelter for older adults in Abbotsford on Dec. 20. (Submitted/Jesse Wegenast)

‘A sea of mats’: Abbotsford extreme weather shelters run overcapacity through winter storm

Extreme weather response coordinator calling on EMBC and city to open daytime warming spaces

Shelters in Abbotsford took in 250 people on Monday night, as a winter storm brought more than 20 cm of snow and temperatures dipped to nearly -20 C. There is no warming shelter during the day in Abbotsford, and the storm is expected to last until Friday. Pictured is the 5 and 2 Ministries shelter for older adults in Abbotsford on Dec. 20. (Submitted/Jesse Wegenast)
Outreach volunteers offer help to the homeless on a -20 C night in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Social agencies and advocates say rising interest rates and a high rate of inflation are pushing more Canadians into homelessness. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

‘Perfect storm’ of inflation, high prices driving more into homelessness: advocates

Housing shortage, opioid crisis also making matters worse

Outreach volunteers offer help to the homeless on a -20 C night in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Social agencies and advocates say rising interest rates and a high rate of inflation are pushing more Canadians into homelessness. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Tents and people are seen at a homeless encampment at Crab Park below the towers of the downtown skyline in Vancouver, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Tents and people are seen at a homeless encampment at Crab Park below the towers of the downtown skyline in Vancouver, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Aku Roshani, a Cove shelter outreach/support worker, outside the temporary hygiene facility in Whalley on Wednesday, Dec. 7. (Photo: Tom Zillich)

VIDEO: Inside Surrey’s new facility where the homeless can shower, use toilet, wash clothes, use computer

‘There’s nothing like this in Surrey,’ outreach worker says of the ‘temporary’ trailer in Whalley

Aku Roshani, a Cove shelter outreach/support worker, outside the temporary hygiene facility in Whalley on Wednesday, Dec. 7. (Photo: Tom Zillich)
An emergency daytime warming centre pilot program was operated in White Rock’s Centennial Arena parking lot through March 15, 2022. (Contributed photo)

White Rock warming centre to stay open through March

Council votes for service to become daily regardless of temperature

An emergency daytime warming centre pilot program was operated in White Rock’s Centennial Arena parking lot through March 15, 2022. (Contributed photo)
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, left, and Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer listen as B.C. Premier David Eby announces a new public safety plan in Vancouver on Sunday, November 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver city council approves funding for more police, mental-health nurses

Motion leaves door open for provincial or federal government to contribute

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, left, and Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer listen as B.C. Premier David Eby announces a new public safety plan in Vancouver on Sunday, November 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Premier David Eby makes an announcement in Vancouver on November 20, 2022. On Nov. 21, Eby announced his plan to tackle the province’s housing crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Eby drills down on age-restrictive stratas, municipal targets in new housing measures

Proposed legislation will give B.C. greater control over how communities address housing needs

B.C. Premier David Eby makes an announcement in Vancouver on November 20, 2022. On Nov. 21, Eby announced his plan to tackle the province’s housing crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
People who are experiencing homelessness in White Rock and South Surrey say they are often made to feel unwelcome in the community. Unhoused people and their advocates across the Semiahmoo Peninsula say that a homeless shelter would be only one step in addressing homelessness. (Tricia Weel photo)

Unhoused and unwelcome: Homeless community feeling marginalized in South Surrey, White Rock

Second in series: Concerns in mental health, addictions require attention

People who are experiencing homelessness in White Rock and South Surrey say they are often made to feel unwelcome in the community. Unhoused people and their advocates across the Semiahmoo Peninsula say that a homeless shelter would be only one step in addressing homelessness. (Tricia Weel photo)
Pop-up banner image