Cold Weather Shelter

Nanaimo's former Extreme now Cold Weather Shelter will be opening soon which will have a huge impact on the absolute homeless in the community. I was integral again this year in steering funding their way and when I look at accomplishments I have achieved it is this and other issues of homelessness that I am most proud.

Bulletin
Oct 20

Shelter offers comfort during cold weather
I have been in contact with the shelter to discuss the following. It would be better for the following reason if the homeless if the Shelter were to open on November 1st with a tentative closing March 1st.
1. November is far colder traditionally than March.
2. Extreme Weather Criteria, days that BC Housing will kick in funding to augment that already in place, has been lowered to 4 degrees with rain or wind. With colder weather expected this year these Extreme days will expand the amount of time the shelter can stay open into March and perhaps through to the end of March.
3. Opening at an earlier date will allow more time to secure the needed funding for March in the event extreme days are less than expected.

Oct 18
DN
Shelter gets grant to operate for colder winter months
This is good news indeed, but as I have said , they should have kept the start date on the 1st of November with a tentative closing date of March 1st. November has a tendency to be far worse than March weather wise and it is also when Extreme Weather Shelter days funded by BC Housing kick in across the province. These extreme days will as it stands be balancing out the City Grant to allow a Cold Weather shelter and as the weather is expected to be far worse could contribute over the months allowing the shelter to stay open through March. In the event they do not then it would also give time to raise funds from the community to do so.

Oct 12 D/N
Housing shelter faces funding crunch