Homeless

Curtis Caziere and Liza Charlie are back living at the Travelodge – this time for free – after being evicted last month. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Evicted Victoria couple return to Travelodge rent-free

Couple says BC Housing helped get them back into hotel

Curtis Caziere and Liza Charlie are back living at the Travelodge – this time for free – after being evicted last month. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
A hundred tents have been spread out over Topaz Park. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

B.C. enacts provincial order to move homeless at Victoria encampments into hotels

Encampments will be dismantled, with temporary supportive housing in hotels, community centres

A hundred tents have been spread out over Topaz Park. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
The Cowichan Valley has been struggling with homelessness. (File photo)

Federal homeless funding heading to Cowichan

Funding of $291,450 in 2020-21 and $463,953 per year until 2023-2024

The Cowichan Valley has been struggling with homelessness. (File photo)
The entrance to an area of Topaz Park, across from the Chabad Centre, where the City of Victoria allows homeless to camp amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Rabbi calls on Victoria to close Topaz Park homeless camp

Victoria mayor continues to look for ways to get everyone indoors

The entrance to an area of Topaz Park, across from the Chabad Centre, where the City of Victoria allows homeless to camp amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Approximately 75 tents lined Pandora Avenue on April 3, some closer than the two-metre physical distance guideline set out by the provincial health officer. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
Approximately 75 tents lined Pandora Avenue on April 3, some closer than the two-metre physical distance guideline set out by the provincial health officer. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
Homeless and underhoused people occupied Strathcona Elementary School demanding more housing amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday, April 18. (Red Braid Alliance/Facebook)

Police arrest 14 people occupying empty Vancouver elementary school amid pandemic

Protesters were asking for housing during the COVID-19 crisis

Homeless and underhoused people occupied Strathcona Elementary School demanding more housing amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday, April 18. (Red Braid Alliance/Facebook)
It took about a week for a coalition of organizations including three levels of government, half a dozen community service organizations and a few local businesses to plan, construct and move the Smithers downtown homeless community into a camp on the outskirts of town. (Thom Barker photo)                                It took about a week for a coalition of organizations including three levels of government, half a dozen community service organizations and a few local businesses to plan, construct and move the Smithers downtown homeless community into a camp on the outskirts of town. (Thom Barker photo)

Northern B.C. town builds camp on outskirt of town for homeless population

Smithers Bylaw officer Matt Davey says the move was made with buy-in from the affected people

It took about a week for a coalition of organizations including three levels of government, half a dozen community service organizations and a few local businesses to plan, construct and move the Smithers downtown homeless community into a camp on the outskirts of town. (Thom Barker photo)                                It took about a week for a coalition of organizations including three levels of government, half a dozen community service organizations and a few local businesses to plan, construct and move the Smithers downtown homeless community into a camp on the outskirts of town. (Thom Barker photo)
Beacon Hill Park, Topaz Park and the Royal Athletic Park will become temporary sites for the homeless in efforts to try to limit spread of COVID-19. (Black Press file photo)

Victoria area parks to open as temporary sites for the homeless

Victoria announced formalized camps to help combat spread of COVID-19

Beacon Hill Park, Topaz Park and the Royal Athletic Park will become temporary sites for the homeless in efforts to try to limit spread of COVID-19. (Black Press file photo)
Sam Franey is looking to help other people who are homeless with a plan he calls Unhoused. Photo by Mike Chouinard

Life on street inspires Vancouver Island man to help others without homes

For the Comox Valley’s Sam Franey, it all starts with making connections between people

Sam Franey is looking to help other people who are homeless with a plan he calls Unhoused. Photo by Mike Chouinard
A petition is underway to stop the Regional District of Nanaimo from adopting a bylaw that would allow homeless people camp overnight in designated parks. (File photo)

Petition underway to stop bylaw on homeless camping in Regional District of Nanaimo

‘Canadians are known for their meekness but this time we need to have a voice’

A petition is underway to stop the Regional District of Nanaimo from adopting a bylaw that would allow homeless people camp overnight in designated parks. (File photo)
A homeless youth’s belongings under a tarp and garbage bags. (From Marginalized to Magnified report photo)

Youth-led report calls on B.C. government to create plan to end youth homelessness

There are no dedicated programs for youth homelessness at federal, provincial level, report says

A homeless youth’s belongings under a tarp and garbage bags. (From Marginalized to Magnified report photo)
Flanked by her daughter Sarah and eldest son Jared, Maggie Smith holds a photograph of her son Tim Postma who died on the streets of Chilliwack on Jan. 22, 2020. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress)

Maggie and Tim: A residential school survivor and her son who died on Chilliwack’s streets

A young man’s tragic death and his mother’s survival through hardship

Flanked by her daughter Sarah and eldest son Jared, Maggie Smith holds a photograph of her son Tim Postma who died on the streets of Chilliwack on Jan. 22, 2020. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress)
Maggie Smith on Feb. 2, 2020 in front of the building she lived in as a young girl from 1968 to 1971 at St. Mary’s Residential School in Mission. (Facebook)

Maggie and Tim: B.C. residential school survivor turns to faith, forgiveness in mourning son

A young man’s tragic death and his mother’s survival through hardship

Maggie Smith on Feb. 2, 2020 in front of the building she lived in as a young girl from 1968 to 1971 at St. Mary’s Residential School in Mission. (Facebook)
Flanked by her daughter Sarah and eldest son Jared, Maggie Smith holds a photograph of her son Tim Postma who died on the streets of Chilliwack on Jan. 22, 2020. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress)

Maggie and Tim: A residential school survivor and her son who died on B.C. streets

Part one of a two-part series on a young man’s tragic death and his mother’s survival through hardship

Flanked by her daughter Sarah and eldest son Jared, Maggie Smith holds a photograph of her son Tim Postma who died on the streets of Chilliwack on Jan. 22, 2020. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress)
About 40 South Wellington residents cleared out a squatters’ camp south of Nanaimo on the weekend. RCMP stood by to maintain order and detained one person under the Mental Health Act. (Facebook photo)

Private citizens evict squatters from camp south of Nanaimo

RCMP ‘keep the peace,’ as neighbourhood residents arrive with trucks, excavators and dumpsters

About 40 South Wellington residents cleared out a squatters’ camp south of Nanaimo on the weekend. RCMP stood by to maintain order and detained one person under the Mental Health Act. (Facebook photo)
Mary-Jane Sabbas and Clay Raymond got a three-day ban from Our Place for inappropriate behaviour. During extreme weather protocol activation, however, shelters cannot ban people. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)
Mary-Jane Sabbas and Clay Raymond got a three-day ban from Our Place for inappropriate behaviour. During extreme weather protocol activation, however, shelters cannot ban people. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)
Mallory Delarge, coordinator of Rock Bay landing with 10,000 pairs of socks. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)

Victoria resident helps collect 100,000 pairs of socks for the homeless

Michael Bloomfield has worked on the Socks Project for 12 years

Mallory Delarge, coordinator of Rock Bay landing with 10,000 pairs of socks. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)
Palliative care nurse Katie Leahy (left) and physician Dr. Fraser Black work with PORT community partners to meet and assess the health needs of people living homeless and in poverty in Victoria. (File contributed/UVic)

Mobile palliative care team launches for downtown Victoria’s homeless population

UVic, Cool Aid, Victoria Hospice and Island Health team up for end-of-life care services

Palliative care nurse Katie Leahy (left) and physician Dr. Fraser Black work with PORT community partners to meet and assess the health needs of people living homeless and in poverty in Victoria. (File contributed/UVic)
Willi Boepple’s truck is her last personal asset after she was evicted from her home on the Saanich Peninsual. She’s afraid a wave of parking tickets will force her to lose her car. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)

Victoria homeless woman facing losing her truck

Willi Boepple fears losing one of her last possessions after being inundated with parking tickets

Willi Boepple’s truck is her last personal asset after she was evicted from her home on the Saanich Peninsual. She’s afraid a wave of parking tickets will force her to lose her car. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)
A person sleeps at vacant commercial property in downtown Victoria. In 2018, Jay W. struggled with homelessness but found the abundant resources to be instrumental in getting him back to his feet. (Black Press file photo)

‘Best in the country’: Formerly homeless man praises Victoria’s outreach services

Jay W. was living on the streets of downtown Victoria in 2018

A person sleeps at vacant commercial property in downtown Victoria. In 2018, Jay W. struggled with homelessness but found the abundant resources to be instrumental in getting him back to his feet. (Black Press file photo)