Army & Navy building to become homeless shelter as B.C. announces 120 new beds

In an effort to decamp the tent city in Vancouver's Strathcona Park, the provincehasannounced the opening of twotemporary sheltersin April.

"These new shelter spaces will provide 120 people with a bed and supports to help them stay safe, warm, fed and alive, while we continue to work with our partners to open permanent supportive housing across the city,"said Attorney General David Ebyin a media release.

The former home of Vancouver's iconicArmy &Navydepartment storeisnow co-leased by B.C. Housing and the cityand will be renovated to create a60-bed shelter at 15-27 West Hastings St. A media representative with the city said they wereunable to provide a costestimate forthe renovationsat this time.

An industrialproperty at 875 Terminal Ave., which isowned by the City of Vancouverwill get a $1.8 million renovationfunded by the federal government's homelessness initiative called Reaching Home, adding an additional 60 beds.

Residents at both locations will have 24-hour accessto support services.

"COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our most marginalized neighbours, and collective action is needed to address the critical needs of people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver," said Mayor Kennedy Stewart.

Park residents told to vacate

In an effortto return the west side of Strathcona Park back to the community, the Vancouver Park Board notifiedapproximately12residents of ahomeless encampment last week they must vacate by Wednesday.

A new two metrefence was erected to separatethe larger section of the encampment, which houses approximately 200 campers, from the rest of the park.

InDecember, the park board said once indoor space had been secured for the encampment's residents, the board would move to enforce the city's no-camping bylaw.

At that time, plans were underway to use the Jericho Hostel inWest Point Grey and the 2400 Motel on Kingsway as temporary indoor spaces to shelter those living in the park. Monday'sannouncement made no mention of any upcoming plans for thosetwo locations.

In January,Ebysaid the provinceplans to have enough indoor spacesfor campers to relocateby the end of April, adding that hundreds of units of supported housing should be available in 12 to 24 months.

Approximately 100 temporary supportive homes are set to open this summer and 350 more homes are being proposed in multiple locations throughout the city, according to the release.

The provincehas opened 1,000 new supportive housing homes since 2017.