Kelowna has 355 shelter spaces available this winter

The Province of British Columbia says more shelter spaces are opening this winter than in previous seasons, including 355 spaces in Kelowna.

The province, through BC Housing, is funding over 6,400 spaces in 58 communities this winter.

That includes permanent, temporary and extreme-weather response shelters as well as Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH).

Permanent shelters are those that are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In Kelowna, there are 228 permanent shelter spaces offered at Cornerstone Shelter, Richter Street Shelter, Alexander Gardener Safe Centre, AG Gordon and the Kelowna Gospel Mission.

There are three temporary shelters in the city, which are open overnight with services offered during the day. A total of 72 spaces are offered at the Bay Avenue Shelter, SS Kelowna and the Emergency Youth Shelter.

Most temporary shelters open from the beginning of November until the end of March or April.

Kelowna has 20 spaces for emergency weather shelter at Metro Central. Those spaces will open overnight when extreme weather alerts are issued.

HEARTH-funded sites, which include temporary housing options as well as shelter spaces.

Kelowna’s third tiny home site on Appaloosa Road, which was unveiled in June, is a HEARTH funded site. It joins the two other sites, which are located on Crowley Avenue (STEP Place) and at 2740 Hwy 97 (Trailside).

“BC Housing has also implemented several changes during the past year to better support non-profit partners and community organizations as they prepare and administer their EWR plans,” the province said in a news release.

“This includes additional funding to secure community co-ordinators and funding to help non-profit organizations with costs associated with operating EWR programs.”