Housing and Homelessness

A man is seen inside his tent as vancouver police officers stand by while city workers clear an encampment on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Vancouver police officers have been deployed to a tent encampment on the city’s Downtown Eastside with the aim of shutting down the site to campers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Probe to examine if police hindered media during Vancouver decampment

Police oversight agency says VPD appears to have created ‘exclusion zone,’ but department denies doing so

 

Shannon Whissell, director of development with Threshold Housing Society, offers information during a community event. (Courtesy Threshold Housing Society)

Tea, candles shine a light on youth homelessness in Greater Victoria

Threshold Housing Society expands winter campaign to include Cowichan company

 

Cyndi Stevens from Port Alberni Friendship Center stands in front of one of 20 housing pods that open to their first residents on Oct. 27, 2023 at Walyaqil Tiny Home Village in Port Alberni. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Walyaqil Tiny Home Village opens in Port Alberni

Temporary housing ‘pods’ give shelter to first 20 residents

 

Rita Da Silva makes scarves for the unhoused in Victoria. (Rita Da Silva photo)

‘Stitches of love’: Victoria woman crochets for unhoused as winter looms

Rita Da Silva decided to create scarves for a local shelter from donated yarn

Rita Da Silva makes scarves for the unhoused in Victoria. (Rita Da Silva photo)
Campbell River’s Overdose Prevention Site. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror

Island DQ fed up with ‘countless thefts, threats of violence, drug abuse’

Campbell River Dairy Queen calls for public nuisance designation for overdose prevention site

Campbell River’s Overdose Prevention Site. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror
North Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative MP Mel Arnold (left) and colleague, MP Michelle Fererri of Peterborough-Kawartha (Ontario) meet with media in Vernon Friday, Aug. 11, at the Schubert Centre. Fererri is the shadow cabinet critic for families, children and social development. She and Arnold spent two hours listening to concerns in the riding from invited stakeholders. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

Canada abound in crises: Ontario MP during Vernon visit

Michelle Ferreri is a Conservative shadow cabinet critic for families, children and social development

North Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative MP Mel Arnold (left) and colleague, MP Michelle Fererri of Peterborough-Kawartha (Ontario) meet with media in Vernon Friday, Aug. 11, at the Schubert Centre. Fererri is the shadow cabinet critic for families, children and social development. She and Arnold spent two hours listening to concerns in the riding from invited stakeholders. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
Housing emerged as the one of the top issues during recent provincial budget consultations. Other top of mind issues include health care, the environment but also regulatory reform and labour shortages, according to the final report from the legislative committee that had toured the province earlier this year. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

Housing, health care, climate should be central to B.C.’s next budget: report

Final report from provincial finance committee released after extensive public consultation

Housing emerged as the one of the top issues during recent provincial budget consultations. Other top of mind issues include health care, the environment but also regulatory reform and labour shortages, according to the final report from the legislative committee that had toured the province earlier this year. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
The Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness has created a “How Can I Help” guide. File photo

Vancouver Island advocates for the unhoused release ‘What Can I Do’ guide

Campbell River Coalition to End Homelessness offers answers for those trying to make a difference

The Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness has created a “How Can I Help” guide. File photo
Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales arrive for the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting, at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, Friday, June 23, 2023.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Prince William launches 5-year project to end long-term homelessness in the UK

Prince William launched a five-year project to end long-term homelessness in the…

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales arrive for the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting, at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, Friday, June 23, 2023.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
WeCan Shelter Society co-founder Charlene Davis came up with the idea a few years ago to repurpose sea containers into houses for the unhoused population of the Comox Valley. (Olivier Laurin / Comox Valley Record)

VIDEO: Comox Valley non-profit builds shelters out of sea containers for the unhoused

‘We intend to carry on until we have a reason to not’: WeCan Shelter Society chairperson Charlene Davis

WeCan Shelter Society co-founder Charlene Davis came up with the idea a few years ago to repurpose sea containers into houses for the unhoused population of the Comox Valley. (Olivier Laurin / Comox Valley Record)
Kelowna’s tent city garnered national attention after twee by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Poilievre’s depiction of Kelowna’s tent city ‘disappointing’, says safety director

‘This issue is one that cities across the province and in fact across the country’

Kelowna’s tent city garnered national attention after twee by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
WeCan Shelter Society co-founder Charlene Davis, and Dawn 2 Dawn Action on Homelessness founder Tom Grant cut the ribbon to officially open the ninth WeCan Shelter home. Photo by Terry Farrell/Comox Valley Record.

Used sea cans transformed into studio apartments to combat Island homelessness

Ninth WeCan Shelter home opens at Maple Pool Campground in Courtenay

WeCan Shelter Society co-founder Charlene Davis, and Dawn 2 Dawn Action on Homelessness founder Tom Grant cut the ribbon to officially open the ninth WeCan Shelter home. Photo by Terry Farrell/Comox Valley Record.
The provincial government closed several loopholes involving children in 55-plus stratas. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. government closes loopholes around children in 55-plus strata buildings

BC United MLA says government was architect of its own mistakes

The provincial government closed several loopholes involving children in 55-plus stratas. (Black Press Media file photo)
Life on Wheels, a grass-roots outreach organization that deals with homeless and/or people with addictions and mental-health issues, is looking to begin a pilot project for detox and rehab facilities in the Cowichan Valley. (Citizen file photo)

Group looks to establish detox, rehab facility in Cowichan Valley

Life on Wheels asks CVRD for land-use variance

Life on Wheels, a grass-roots outreach organization that deals with homeless and/or people with addictions and mental-health issues, is looking to begin a pilot project for detox and rehab facilities in the Cowichan Valley. (Citizen file photo)
More than 200 people turned out to Diana Krall Plaza Thursday, April 27, to demand action on social disorder. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Hundreds gather in Nanaimo to demand action against crime and social disorder

Rally was one of seven held across B.C. to send message that ‘enough is enough’

More than 200 people turned out to Diana Krall Plaza Thursday, April 27, to demand action on social disorder. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
The group makes its way down Pandora Avenue toward Victoria City Hall, April 21, to call for an end to bylaw sweeps on unhoused communities. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

VIDEO: Victoria ‘stop the sweeps’ rally calls on city to stop seizing personal belongings

Members of the unhoused community and aid organizations gathered at city hall, calling for change

The group makes its way down Pandora Avenue toward Victoria City Hall, April 21, to call for an end to bylaw sweeps on unhoused communities. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
Tents line the sidewalk on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Thursday, July 28, 2022. A 2022-23 survey by Atira Women’s Resource Society suggests unhoused women living in the area have few safe housing options. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Sexual violence rampant amid lack of housing options for homeless Vancouver women: survey

50 Downtown Eastside respondents all reported enduring violence, sexual assault

Tents line the sidewalk on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Thursday, July 28, 2022. A 2022-23 survey by Atira Women’s Resource Society suggests unhoused women living in the area have few safe housing options. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
BC Housing won’t be renewing the Port Alberni Shelter Society’s contract to operate Our Home on Eighth shelter. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Port Alberni Friendship Center takes over operation of city shelter

New operators takes over Our Home on Eighth from Port Alberni Shelter Society

BC Housing won’t be renewing the Port Alberni Shelter Society’s contract to operate Our Home on Eighth shelter. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Niki Ottosen poses with the Raging Grannies, who performed a few songs during the rally. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

Activists rally at city hall after case against Victoria dismissed

Niki Ottosen’s case was dismissed on the grounds she lacked standing to bring it

Niki Ottosen poses with the Raging Grannies, who performed a few songs during the rally. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
Sandra Chow emerges from the frigid Strait of Georgia by the Tyee Spit in Campbell River Friday morning. Photo courtesy Sandra Chow

Campbell Riverite doing 15 dips in 15 days to raise money to support unhoused population

Sandra Chow has done eight February ocean dips so far

Sandra Chow emerges from the frigid Strait of Georgia by the Tyee Spit in Campbell River Friday morning. Photo courtesy Sandra Chow