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Abbotsford has 105 temporary and extreme-weather shelters for fall and winter

More shelters will be added when needed throughout the winter
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Cyrus Centre for at-risk youth is among the Abbotsford locations providing temporary-shelter spaces over the fall and winter. (Abbotsford News file photo)

People in need of a warm, safe place to stay during the cold, wet winter months will have access to additional emergency-shelter spaces in Abbotsford.

This winter, the province is providing more than 1,900 temporary-shelter spaces and nearly 360 extreme-weather response shelter spaces to ensure people experiencing homelessness have a warm place to sleep and can get out of the cold and rain.

These emergency shelters supplement more than 2,250 permanent year-round shelter spaces open throughout B.C.

In Abbotsford, there are 72 temporary-shelter spaces and 33 extreme-weather spaces.

The temporary shelters will be open every night during the season, many of them around the clock, with meals provided. Some have already opened, with more opening this month and later this season.

The extreme-weather response shelters, which typically open each year from Nov. 1 to March 31, are available overnight when a community issues an extreme-weather alert.

This year, the province gave non-profit groups access to funding as early as Oct. 1 to allow shelters to open in communities already experiencing extreme weather.

RELATED: Abbotsford and Mission get funding to help with homelessness during extreme weather

Communities outline what weather conditions warrant an extreme-weather alert and determine the number of extreme-weather spaces to activate on any night, depending on the capacity of existing shelters and the estimated need.

These emergency-shelter programs are made possible through partnerships with communities and non-profit groups throughout the province.

More shelters may be added throughout the winter when needed. Visit smap.bchousing.org for updates.

In addition to these shelters, BC Housing has partnered with health authorities, municipalities and other housing partners to secure more than 1,900 additional spaces in 43 communities where people experiencing homelessness can self-isolate and recover from COVID-19.

There are two extreme-weather response shelters in Abbotsford: SARA for Women (2317 McKenzie Rd.) with three spaces and Gateway Community Church (2884 Gladys Ave.) with 30 spaces.

The temporary-shelter spaces in Abbotsford are at:

• Central Heights Church (1661 McCallum Rd.) – 15 spaces

• Cyrus Centre (2616 Ware St.) – 12 spaces

• SARA for Women (2317 McKenzie Rd.) – six spaces

• Riverside Shelter (1640 and 1670 Riverside Rd.) – 34 spaces

• Warm Zone (33264 Old Yale Rd.) – five spaces

RELATED: Washrooms, drop-in centre and shelter beds all planned for Abbotsford



vhopes@abbynews.com

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Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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