It’s unclear how Kelowna will tackle housing homeless people this winter

As the autumn leaves are falling and we edge closer to winter it remains unclear what will happen to Kelowna’s growing homeless population.

The City of Kelowna is yet to announce a winter plan for the more than 250 people sleeping rough in the city.

“Plans are still being finalized, but we can say that the City is working with our social serving and community safety partners to mitigate the risks and impacts to those who are sheltering outdoors in winter weather conditions,” Mayor Tom Dyas said in an emailed statement to iNFOnews.ca.

With an unexpected and dramatic start to the winter season last year, the city was unprepared to help the large group of homeless people lining the Okanagan Rail Trail. 

In an attempt to mitigate some of the harm from freezing temperatures last year, the city offered a warming bus.

The 24-passenger bus was positioned on Richter Street and the Okanagan Rail Trail overnight from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., when temperatures were plummeting below -15 Celsius.

The city said at the time the bus initiative was not established as a permanent solution to homelessness, rather it was a “short-term emergency response.”

READ MORE: Warming bus new stop-gap measure to help homeless during Kelowna cold snap

Mayor Dyas hinted towards an improved alternative this coming winter.

“Building on lessons learned from last year, the City has plans to ensure those sheltering outdoors have relief from the cold during the winter season,” he said. 

With the drastic increase in homeless numbers over the past year, it seems a change in strategy will be crucial.

Kelowna bylaw services manager Kevin Mead told iNFOnews.ca that from a daily head count the city has observed a rapid growth in the number of people sleeping rough in the city, from 161 in Sept. 2022, to 265 last month.

“The demand for shelters continues to grow faster than new spaces are becoming available, which means people will be sheltering outdoors this winter,” Mayor Dyas said. “Finding more shelter space, developing emergency mat programs, and extreme weather response plans are all underway in preparation for winter.”  

The lack of shelters spaces forebodes a very tricky situation this winter, with even more people being left out in the bitter cold without a place to go.

Last year, concerns were raised by local non-profit organizations around the temporary quick-fix solutions being offered by the council, municipal governments, BC housing and Interior Health.

READ MORE: Interior Health responds to shelter crisis as Thompson Okanagan non-profits fed up with situation

In an open letter, several non-profit organizations decried the burden placed on them for the lacking and ineffective action of the city council. They also declared they were fed up with taking the blame for street-level crime.

The risk of fire also increased last winter, likely from people left on the streets seeking warmth. 

During the 2022 to 2023 winter, Kamloops and Kelowna fire chiefs admitted they were responding to more blazes in temporary structures, with some of the fires even leading to injury.

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