Homelessness

Pandora Avenue’s 900-block near downtown Victoria as seen on Tuesday, Feb. 14. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Point in Time count to take ‘snapshot’ of homelessness in Greater Victoria

March 2020 survey found at least 1,523 experiencing homelessness throughout capital region

 

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

 

Bylaw officers removing personal belongings including tents and blankets from an encampment at Stradacona Park on Feb. 4 at 7:30 a.m. (Courtesy of Trent Smith)

‘An invasion’: Victoria homeless decry city and cops confiscating tents, food

Trent Smith, who is living homeless in Victoria said bylaw officers will take belongings arbitrarily

 

Dr. Charmaine Enns, the North Island medical health officer, recently sent a letter to Campbel River city council urging them to hold off on a illegal drug consumption bylaw. (Black Press file photo)

Health officer pushes back as B.C. town tries to step around drug decriminalization

Campbell River rejects plea to wait six months before forging ahead with drug use ban bylaw

Dr. Charmaine Enns, the North Island medical health officer, recently sent a letter to Campbel River city council urging them to hold off on a illegal drug consumption bylaw. (Black Press file photo)
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)
Richard Waller ladles soup into containers for diners to take away with the recently implemented bag lunch program at The Soup Kitchen in Victoria. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

VIDEO: Victoria soup kitchen serves up sandwiches, smiles, compassion

Service group hands out 32,724 meals in 2022, a 10% increase from 2021

Richard Waller ladles soup into containers for diners to take away with the recently implemented bag lunch program at The Soup Kitchen in Victoria. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
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
View Royal Park is set to become the only place in town where restricted overnight camping by unhoused people will be allowed under an amended parks bylaw, which has been tabled until the new year over a restriction which if adopted as written would effectively ban camping even in View Royal Park. (Courtesy Town of View Royal)

View Royal postpones overnight camping bylaw until new year

The town is amending its parks bylaw to restrict overnight camping to one park with conditions

View Royal Park is set to become the only place in town where restricted overnight camping by unhoused people will be allowed under an amended parks bylaw, which has been tabled until the new year over a restriction which if adopted as written would effectively ban camping even in View Royal Park. (Courtesy Town of View Royal)
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
David Screech said he has been forced to seriously consider moving Greggs Furniture and Upholstery somewhere else in Greater Victoria due to an increasing number of concerning incidents at its current Government Street location. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

Home since ‘55, Greggs Furniture and Upholstery pondering move out of Victoria

David Screech said an increasing amount of concerning incidents driving possible move

David Screech said he has been forced to seriously consider moving Greggs Furniture and Upholstery somewhere else in Greater Victoria due to an increasing number of concerning incidents at its current Government Street location. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
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)
The annual Victoria Cool Aid fundraiser sees socks distributed through 25 organizations from Nanaimo to Victoria and Salt Spring Island. (Cool Aid Society/Facebook)

Cool Aid, businesses pool resources in campaign to collect 10,000 pairs of socks

Foot nurse emphasizes health value of clean, dry, cared-for feet

The annual Victoria Cool Aid fundraiser sees socks distributed through 25 organizations from Nanaimo to Victoria and Salt Spring Island. (Cool Aid Society/Facebook)
People facing homelessness face many stigmas, says the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. The group hosts a workshop in Sooke on Oct. 15. (File - Black Press Media)

Workshop in Sooke sets its sights on erasing homelessness’s stigmas

Homelessness is increasing in Sooke

People facing homelessness face many stigmas, says the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. The group hosts a workshop in Sooke on Oct. 15. (File - Black Press Media)