People facing homelessness in Powell River will soon have more help as the Province and the City join forces to open a new temporary shelter. This new initiative is aimed at keeping people safe, moving them indoors, and connecting them with the services they need to begin rebuilding their lives.
Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, emphasized that while homelessness remains a complex issue, the government is seeing positive results from ongoing work. She said efforts are focused on offering safe shelter and long-term solutions.
The new shelter, planned for 7104 Barnet Street, will provide 40 beds. It replaces the 20-bed emergency shelter on Joyce Avenue, which closed earlier this year. The new site will double the community’s current shelter capacity. It will be operated by Lift Community Services, which will offer 24/7 support, meals, laundry, showers, and storage for belongings.
Safety is a key part of the plan. The shelter will include fenced grounds, limited access points, security cameras, and proper lighting to help keep staff and guests secure. The facility still needs city council approval but could open this winter if approved. The Province is working to expand housing options in the community at the same time.
In addition to shelter services, the site will also offer critical health support. The qathet overdose prevention service, which was previously located nearby, will move to the new shelter site. Funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and operated by Lift, this service provides life-saving tools, such as outdoor inhalation space, a separate trailer, and a peer-recovery navigator who helps connect people to treatment programs.
Powell River Mayor Ron Woznow said the shelter project is a result of successful teamwork. The Province, through BC Housing, is providing funding and oversight. The City is offering the land, and Lift Community Services will operate the site. Vancouver Coastal Health will continue to fund the overdose prevention services. Woznow called it a strong example of the partnerships needed to tackle complicated social problems.
The goal of the new shelter is not only to give people a place to sleep but also to guide them toward stable housing and recovery. The plan is part of a broader effort to help those living in tents or without shelter find safer options. Officials want to act quickly, offering support and temporary housing before the problems grow deeper.
Powell River is the first in a second group of cities working closely with the Province to improve homeless support systems. This follows similar success in communities like Abbotsford, Kelowna, Kamloops, and Nanaimo, where coordinated responses and new housing options have already helped many.
The initiative is a key part of the Province’s Belonging in B.C. strategy. The plan aims to reduce homelessness by offering faster access to housing and better support services. Since 2017, the Province has funded or built over 93,250 homes. More than 230 of these are in Powell River.
The new shelter is another step in making sure everyone in the community has a safe place to go, along with the help they need to move forward. By working together, Powell River and the Province hope to create long-lasting solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.
