People sleeping in cars outside Emerald Centre in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS – With the closure of the Stuart Wood winter shelter last month, Emerald Centre has seen more people inside the shelter, and also outside in the parking lot.

“Almost every night we have seen vehicles in the parking lot at Emerald Centre,” Christa Mullaly with the Canadian Mental Health Association says. “Not just singles, but families as well.”

Speaking to the city’s Community Safety Committee quarterly meeting today, Monday April, 30, Mullaly said the shelter at Emerald Centre has 42 beds, but staff have added as many mats as they can to keep up with the increase in people using the shelter.

Fire regulations allow a maximum capacity of 65 people in the shelter.

“We can’t go over that capacity,” Mullaly said.

Mullaly said they will continue to work with various organizations to help individuals facing homelessness, but it’s been problematic with the capacity restriction at shelters.

Mullaly said she has also received questions from people about where a temporary campsite can be set up outside if there is insufficient indoor shelter space. Earlier this month the city amended bylaws to allow 13 public spots where homeless individuals could set up camp during certain hours during the night.

Bylaw Services manager John Ramsay said city officials are working on a map of the 13 spots but the timeline of when it will be released to the public is unknown.

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