Victoria B.C. – Oceanside Homelessness Task Force

From opportunities to challenges: A closer look inside one of Victoria’s ‘homeless hotels’

Tomiczek says she lost her rental suite in Chinatown after a serious bout of pneumonia prevented her from working. She moved into the Howard Johnson last spring, one of 78 residents who now live in the facility leased by BC housing and operated by Our Place Society. Continue reading From opportunities to challenges: A closer look inside one of Victoria’s ‘homeless hotels’

It was with a heavy heart this week that Julian Daly, executive director of the Our Place Society in Victoria, decided to pen a commentary in the Times Colonist calling for involuntary care for a small subsection of people with severe psychiatric disorders who are experiencing homelessness. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/should-people-with-severe-mental-illnesses-and-no-home-be-forced-into-treatment-1.6007637 Continue reading Should people with severe mental illnesses and no home be forced into treatment?

Campers in Victoria parks who have accepted an offer of indoor housing but are still waiting for that housing to be ready are exempt from the city bylaw that requires tents to be taken down by 7 a.m. each morning. https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/tents-remain-in-victoria-parks-as-homeless-campers-await-indoor-space-1.5411050 Continue reading Tents remain in Victoria parks as homeless campers await indoor space

Emily Jackson was just 14-years-old when she found herself without a home. “My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal breast cancer, I had no other supports,” said Jackson. “And there were other factors in my housing situation that made it unsafe to live.” Because of her age, Jackson didn’t qualify for government help. Continue reading Demand for youth needing shelter evidence of ‘system failure’ in B.C., says Victoria mayor

The provincial government and the city have committed to finding temporary housing by April 30 for more than 200 people currently living in outdoor encampments. To date, 116 people have been moved indoors into shelter spaces in the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre and the Capital City Centre Hotel. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/province-spends-9-4-million-purchase-housing-homeless-1.5971575 Continue reading Province spends $9.4 million on building to house more homeless persons in Victoria

David Eby, the provincial minister responsible for housing, told reporters Monday that a memorandum of understanding between the provincial government and Victoria council formalizes a commitment to find indoor shelter for people living in parks and other outdoor areas by the end of April. https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2021/03/23/homeless-camps-an-issue-that-has-long-roiled-victoria-may-soon-disappear/ Continue reading Homeless camps, an issue that has long roiled Victoria, may soon disappear