Homelessness

Firetrucks took up position at the end of Albion Street to douse a fire at an encampment in Nanaimo that left one man injured, Tuesday, March 28. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Man burned trying to control tent fire in Nanaimo homeless encampment

Firefighters respond to reports of heavy smoke and explosions

 

Then-Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation Ravi Kahlon answers questions from members of the media at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. The British Columbia government says it will be providing 330 new homes for people living on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside by the end of June. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. to provide 330 new homes for people living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

Homes promised by end of June

 

Suhaandeep Gill spent last week delivering special treat bags to shelters in Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and Mission. (Jessica Peters/Abbotsford News)

Kid Cupid: Young Abbotsford boy delivers love to the streets with Valentine’s Day bags

Suhaandeep Gill, 7, created thoughtful bags of much-needed items to give to three city shelters

 

Jayson Anderson went missing July 2022 and his mother is searching for him. (Courtesy of Wanda Anderson)

Alberta mom of a missing Vancouver Island man continues search despite dead ends

Wanda Anderson working to find her son, Jayson Anderson, since he disappeared from Victoria in July

Jayson Anderson went missing July 2022 and his mother is searching for him. (Courtesy of Wanda Anderson)
Khristina (last name withheld), seen here at Salish Park on Jan. 18, 2023, from Saskatchewan comes to Chilliwack twice a year to find her son who is living on the streets, and to hand out supplies to homeless people. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

Saskatchewan cattle rancher visits Fraser Valley twice a year to find her homeless son

‘I spent time with him, and that has to be enough’

Khristina (last name withheld), seen here at Salish Park on Jan. 18, 2023, from Saskatchewan comes to Chilliwack twice a year to find her son who is living on the streets, and to hand out supplies to homeless people. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)
Performer Blake Elliott presented a cheque for $10,000 from the ‘mister Blake foundation’ to Refresh Mobile Shower Ministry’s Bill Keyes in Abbotsford on Jan. 19. The ministry provides showers in a mobile unit to the unhoused, in partnership with other service providers in Abbotsford and Maple Ridge. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

Mobile shower ministry gets big boost to continue work in Fraser Valley

Abbotsford-based group has provided 2,600 showers to people in need since 2019

Performer Blake Elliott presented a cheque for $10,000 from the ‘mister Blake foundation’ to Refresh Mobile Shower Ministry’s Bill Keyes in Abbotsford on Jan. 19. The ministry provides showers in a mobile unit to the unhoused, in partnership with other service providers in Abbotsford and Maple Ridge. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)
Josh Derrah and Gina Dias. (Submitted photo)

Cold weather shelter not open on night of homeless man’s death in Duncan

28-year-old Josh Derrah died outside of the A&W on Dec. 20

Josh Derrah and Gina Dias. (Submitted photo)
Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

VIDEO: New hospital program helps Toronto’s homeless, cuts ambulance offload times

Stand-alone clinic provides space for people to recover from intoxication

Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Outreach volunteers offer help to the homeless on a -20 C night in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Social agencies and advocates say rising interest rates and a high rate of inflation are pushing more Canadians into homelessness. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

‘Perfect storm’ of inflation, high prices driving more into homelessness: advocates

Housing shortage, opioid crisis also making matters worse

Outreach volunteers offer help to the homeless on a -20 C night in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Social agencies and advocates say rising interest rates and a high rate of inflation are pushing more Canadians into homelessness. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Tents and people are seen at a homeless encampment at Crab Park below the towers of the downtown skyline in Vancouver, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C., Vancouver partner to build modular housing for Downtown Eastside residents

90 temporary units to be ready by March 2023

Tents and people are seen at a homeless encampment at Crab Park below the towers of the downtown skyline in Vancouver, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, left, and Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer listen as B.C. Premier David Eby announces a new public safety plan in Vancouver on Sunday, November 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver city council approves funding for more police, mental-health nurses

Motion leaves door open for provincial or federal government to contribute

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, left, and Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer listen as B.C. Premier David Eby announces a new public safety plan in Vancouver on Sunday, November 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Premier David Eby makes an announcement in Vancouver on November 20, 2022. On Nov. 21, Eby announced his plan to tackle the province’s housing crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Eby drills down on age-restrictive stratas, municipal targets in new housing measures

Proposed legislation will give B.C. greater control over how communities address housing needs

B.C. Premier David Eby makes an announcement in Vancouver on November 20, 2022. On Nov. 21, Eby announced his plan to tackle the province’s housing crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Auditor General of Canada Karen Hogan holds a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. The Auditor General will table several reports on Tuesday that will assess the government’s performance on a range of issues, including reducing chronic homelessness.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

VIDEO: Feds don’t know if they’re reducing homelessness, says auditor general

Hogan says lack of outcome accountability characterizes 1.36 billion housing effort

Auditor General of Canada Karen Hogan holds a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. The Auditor General will table several reports on Tuesday that will assess the government’s performance on a range of issues, including reducing chronic homelessness.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A video about peer-assisted care teams is shown during a presentation at the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance’s State of the Island Economic Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 26. (Mandy Moraes/News Bulletin)

Mental health and substance-use solutions pitched at Vancouver Island summit

Preventative actions, correctional release support, industry-focused resources discussed

A video about peer-assisted care teams is shown during a presentation at the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance’s State of the Island Economic Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 26. (Mandy Moraes/News Bulletin)
File photo.

‘Highly intoxicated’ teenagers in Campbell River incite brawls with city’s downtown homeless: RCMP

‘Recipe for distaster’

File photo.
The owner of Campbell River’s Comfort Inn and manger of its neighbour, the Berwick seniors complex, say unruly behaviour downtown is having significant impact ontheir businesses. Photo contributed

Unruly behaviour in downtown Campbell River has escalated to a different level: Mayor Andy Adams

City council has been wrestling with the problem of downtown disturbances for years

The owner of Campbell River’s Comfort Inn and manger of its neighbour, the Berwick seniors complex, say unruly behaviour downtown is having significant impact ontheir businesses. Photo contributed
Amy Worth with the Nanaimo Youth Services Association demonstrates how participants will sleep during the organization’s ‘Roughing It’ event at Harewood Centennial Park on Sept. 23. (Mandy Moraes/News Bulletin)

Vancouver Island event challenges people to ‘Rough It’ for youth homelessness

‘Roughing It’ outdoor overnight event to be held at Harewood Centennial Park Sept. 23-24

Amy Worth with the Nanaimo Youth Services Association demonstrates how participants will sleep during the organization’s ‘Roughing It’ event at Harewood Centennial Park on Sept. 23. (Mandy Moraes/News Bulletin)
A man using a rolling walker walks on the street past tents setup on the sidewalk at a sprawling homeless encampment on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on August 16, 2022. BC Housing says 40 people who were living in a Downtown Eastside street encampment being cleared by city workers have accepted offers of accommodation. The agency’s vice-president of operations Dale McCann was speaking at a City Hall press conference today where Mayor Kennedy Stewart reported “good progress” clearing the street in accordance with a safety order by the city’s fire chief. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

40 residents of Vancouver street camp accept accommodation: BC Housing

Workers removing two tonnes of material per day from the encampment on East Hastings Street

A man using a rolling walker walks on the street past tents setup on the sidewalk at a sprawling homeless encampment on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on August 16, 2022. BC Housing says 40 people who were living in a Downtown Eastside street encampment being cleared by city workers have accepted offers of accommodation. The agency’s vice-president of operations Dale McCann was speaking at a City Hall press conference today where Mayor Kennedy Stewart reported “good progress” clearing the street in accordance with a safety order by the city’s fire chief. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A persistent rumour that homeless people are being bused to Campbell River has its own version in many other B.C. communities. Black Press photo

Ticket to ride: ‘No evidence’ homeless people are being bused to your Island town

Analysts: 3/4s of Campbell River’s unhoused have lived there between a ‘year and their entire lives’

A persistent rumour that homeless people are being bused to Campbell River has its own version in many other B.C. communities. Black Press photo
Tents line the sidewalk on East Hastings Street as the city works to clear tents from a sprawling homeless encampment in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. People living in a growing street encampment along a busy street in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside have been handed notices advising that the tents and other structures are about to be removed. The city’s fire chief issued an order last month requiring the tents be cleared because of an extreme fire safety hazard. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Threatening flyers distributed throughout Vancouver tent encampment: police

Vancouver police say flyers contained threats to burn down tents with gasoline and propane

Tents line the sidewalk on East Hastings Street as the city works to clear tents from a sprawling homeless encampment in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. People living in a growing street encampment along a busy street in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside have been handed notices advising that the tents and other structures are about to be removed. The city’s fire chief issued an order last month requiring the tents be cleared because of an extreme fire safety hazard. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck