Homeless

Our Home on 8th, the Port Alberni Shelter that opened in March 2019, has 27 extra ‘extreme weather’ spaces for people who need a place to get out of the cold. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

BC VOTES 2020: Mid-Island candidate plans occupation of shelter to protest homelessness

Graham Hughes says homeless situation a ‘crisis’ in Port Alberni

Our Home on 8th, the Port Alberni Shelter that opened in March 2019, has 27 extra ‘extreme weather’ spaces for people who need a place to get out of the cold. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Victoria council will discuss sheltering in parks on Thursday. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria council to discuss using Royal Athletic Park for sheltering again

North Park Neighbourhood Association wants to see a distributed approach to sheltering in city parks

Victoria council will discuss sheltering in parks on Thursday. (Black Press Media file photo)
Victoria city council has asked staff to form a bylaw limiting the placement and size of temporary shelters. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Victoria city council requests bylaw restricting temporary shelter size, distance from parks and schools

Council carries motions on temporary sheltering after hours-long committee meeting

Victoria city council has asked staff to form a bylaw limiting the placement and size of temporary shelters. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps hoped to find an alternative that could see Oak Bay Lodge used for short-term housing, but she found little support for the idea at a CRD hospital and housing committee meeting Wednesday. (Black Press Media file photo)

CRD committee rejects plea to revisit temporary shelter proposal for Oak Bay Lodge

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps’ request to find creative way to make it work finds little support

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps hoped to find an alternative that could see Oak Bay Lodge used for short-term housing, but she found little support for the idea at a CRD hospital and housing committee meeting Wednesday. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Greater Victoria School District, the City of Victoria, the Victoria Police Department and leadership at South Park Family School have released a plan for a safe school restart on Sept. 10. (Black Press Media file photo)

Ground sweeps, police presence part of back to school plan for Victoria elementary school near Beacon Hill Park

South Park Family School responds to concerns of parents and guardians

The Greater Victoria School District, the City of Victoria, the Victoria Police Department and leadership at South Park Family School have released a plan for a safe school restart on Sept. 10. (Black Press Media file photo)
A tent in the Centennial Square encampment caught fire in June. City staff ordered the relocation of campers on Aug. 28. (@busdriverlife/Twitter)

Spreading out Centennial Square homeless can cause more problems: advocate

Victoria mayor says long-term solutions are needed for vulnerable population

A tent in the Centennial Square encampment caught fire in June. City staff ordered the relocation of campers on Aug. 28. (@busdriverlife/Twitter)
Aging out of the foster care system and losing supports can lead to youth homelessness, research suggests. (Black Press Media file photo)

Aging out of care: youth face growing risk of homelessness

Final segment of a four-part series on youth homelessness in Greater Victoria

  • Aug 30, 2020
Aging out of the foster care system and losing supports can lead to youth homelessness, research suggests. (Black Press Media file photo)
Staff from the Threshold Housing Society help local youth at risk with key elements of their safety and security, not least of which is stable accommodation. (Courtesy Threshold Housing)

A hidden homeless scenario: The search for safe housing for youth

Part three in a series on youth homelessness in Greater Victoria

  • Aug 23, 2020
Staff from the Threshold Housing Society help local youth at risk with key elements of their safety and security, not least of which is stable accommodation. (Courtesy Threshold Housing)
A mini-documentary created by The Existence Project profiles a resident of Beacon Hill Park. (Photo courtesy The Existence Project)

WATCH: Documentary profiling Beacon Hill Resident aims to connect homeless with broader society

Founder of The Existence Project hopes film envokes empathy, understanding in viewers

A mini-documentary created by The Existence Project profiles a resident of Beacon Hill Park. (Photo courtesy The Existence Project)
Gaps in the system: Youth cope with homelessness in Greater Victoria

Gaps in the system: Youth cope with homelessness in Greater Victoria

Four-part series will look at youth homelessness in the region

  • Aug 8, 2020
Gaps in the system: Youth cope with homelessness in Greater Victoria
A homeless woman was given an 18-month jail sentence after an operation by VicPD to combat drug trafficking in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

Homeless woman sentenced to 18 months in jail for selling drugs to Victoria police officer

Officer paid $20 for a substance consisting of heroin, fentanyl and caffeine

A homeless woman was given an 18-month jail sentence after an operation by VicPD to combat drug trafficking in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
A man walks through a homeless camp where approximately 150 people are living at a parking lot on Port of Vancouver property adjacent to Crab Park, in Vancouver on June 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. announces creation of first-ever ‘navigation centre’ to help homeless

Residents referred to the navigation centre will be able to stay until longer-term housing is available

A man walks through a homeless camp where approximately 150 people are living at a parking lot on Port of Vancouver property adjacent to Crab Park, in Vancouver on June 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps explains the intended effect of a court injunction against campers in Beacon Hill Park. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

Victoria granted injunction to move tenters in Beacon Hill Park to less sensitive areas

Mayor Lisa Helps says she recognizes the move will be to ‘more visible’ areas

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps explains the intended effect of a court injunction against campers in Beacon Hill Park. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)
The former Speed Source Fitness building on Otter Point Road has been identified as a new shelter for Sooke’s homeless. The shelter will be ready for residents on July 20. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

Advocacy groups seek to provide long-lasting support for Sooke’s homeless population

New space secured for Sooke homeless at former Speed Source Fitness building

The former Speed Source Fitness building on Otter Point Road has been identified as a new shelter for Sooke’s homeless. The shelter will be ready for residents on July 20. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)
VicPD is investigating a bike chop-shop located in Beacon Hill Park. (VicPD)

Victoria police investigating chop-shop found in Beacon Hill Park

Police asking public to register bikes with them in case lost or stolen

VicPD is investigating a bike chop-shop located in Beacon Hill Park. (VicPD)
The City of Victoria is looking for a court order to enforce sheltering rules in Beacon Hill Park. The City is looking to move people who are homeless out of culturally and environmentally sensitive areas and into designated areas of the park. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria seeks court order to enforce sheltering rules in Beacon Hill Park

People being asked to move out of environmentally sensitive areas of park

The City of Victoria is looking for a court order to enforce sheltering rules in Beacon Hill Park. The City is looking to move people who are homeless out of culturally and environmentally sensitive areas and into designated areas of the park. (Black Press Media file photo)
Before the site is developed, the Oak Bay Lodge could become a temporary shelter space. The Capital Regional District has asked staff to explore options for the building, which will sit empty once residents are moved to The Summit at Quadra Village. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

CRD explores option to use Oak Bay Lodge for people who are homeless

Motion asks staff to work with BC Housing, Island Health on possibilities

Before the site is developed, the Oak Bay Lodge could become a temporary shelter space. The Capital Regional District has asked staff to explore options for the building, which will sit empty once residents are moved to The Summit at Quadra Village. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)
Following the closure of the temporary homeless isolation space at SEAPARC, Sooke’s homeless population has set up camp in Ed Macgregor Park. (Dawn Gibson - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke homeless camp to stay until a solution is found

To forbid Ed Macgregor camp would go against Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Following the closure of the temporary homeless isolation space at SEAPARC, Sooke’s homeless population has set up camp in Ed Macgregor Park. (Dawn Gibson - Sooke News Mirror)
Following the closure of the temporary homeless isolation space at SEAPARC, Sooke’s homeless population has set up camp in Ed MacGregor Park. (Dawn Gibson - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke’s homeless reflect on housing situation

Ed MacGregor Park a new temporary home for Sooke’s homeless population

Following the closure of the temporary homeless isolation space at SEAPARC, Sooke’s homeless population has set up camp in Ed MacGregor Park. (Dawn Gibson - Sooke News Mirror)
Victoria council will allow people sheltering in parks to stay there 24-7 until more direction is received from the provincial health officer. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Campers allowed to stay in Beacon Hill Park for now

Victoria council continues to defer enforcement of bylaw requiring campers to pack up each morning

Victoria council will allow people sheltering in parks to stay there 24-7 until more direction is received from the provincial health officer. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)