Housing and Homelessness

BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsey announced his retirement Aug. 2. (BC Housing website)

BC Housing CEO to step away after recent attacks on unhoused people, threats to himself

“I no longer have confidence I can solve the complex problems facing us”

 

A woman carries a bag of belongings at a homeless camp on a city-owned lot in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver on Thursday, November 17, 2016. Residents living in tents along East Hastings Street have been ordered to leave the area by the evening of July 27, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Tents to be removed from Downtown Eastside despite little-to-no shelter space

Fire chief says order intended to protect, advocates say it does the opposite

 

Protesters pack up their belongings from the Occupy Vancouver site in downtown Vancouver, B.C., on November 21, 2011. On July 25, 2022, Vancouver’s fire chief ordered that all tents and structures be removed from East Hastings Street, citing a fire risk. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver fire chief orders tents removed from Downtown Eastside street, citing fire risk

Advocates say removing people’s homes during heat wave is the real safety problem

 

Karen Fraser of Child Care Resource and Referral helped serve up cake at a Monday, June 6 celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Langley Community Services Society. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Lower Mainland social service agency that started out in a 1916 barn marks 50th anniversary

Programs and services offered are based on the needs of the Langley community, and are offered free

Karen Fraser of Child Care Resource and Referral helped serve up cake at a Monday, June 6 celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Langley Community Services Society. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)
Surrey City Hall, pictured in April 2021. (File photo: Lauren Collins)

Surrey bylaw officers to partner with social workers to help city’s unhoused population

One-year pilot project set to run through to July 31, 2023

Surrey City Hall, pictured in April 2021. (File photo: Lauren Collins)
Surrey Coun. Laurie Guerra is president of the Surrey Homeless & Housing Society. (File photo)

Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society launching 2022 grant program

Last year, the society provided $290,000 to 9 projects

Surrey Coun. Laurie Guerra is president of the Surrey Homeless & Housing Society. (File photo)
The new 40-uniit project at Little’s Place is set to open in May of 2021. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

‘A blessing’: Atira set to open another 44 units of women’s housing in Surrey this spring

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland visited the site as part of 2022 budget tour

The new 40-uniit project at Little’s Place is set to open in May of 2021. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
Walk With Me cultural safety production coordinator Darcy Honey is nice and comfortable inside the new mobile shelter. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

B.C. tiny home pods offer ‘emergency middle ground’ for unhoused people

Walk With Me Campbell River’s goal is to provide 30 units for people by fall 2022

Walk With Me cultural safety production coordinator Darcy Honey is nice and comfortable inside the new mobile shelter. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror
FILE PHOTO - Walkers participating in the 2020 Coldest Night of the Year walk with their special toques for the event. This year, the Surrey-Whalley walk aims to raise $25,000, which is hosted by the Surrey Road to Home Society. (File photo: Lauren Collins)

Surrey-Whalley ‘Coldest Night’ walk aims to raise $25K

Donations accepted until March 31

FILE PHOTO - Walkers participating in the 2020 Coldest Night of the Year walk with their special toques for the event. This year, the Surrey-Whalley walk aims to raise $25,000, which is hosted by the Surrey Road to Home Society. (File photo: Lauren Collins)
White Rock council has taken a first step toward providing a daytime warming centre for the balance of this winter. (File photo)

White Rock council approves temporary daytime warming centre

Costs of Centennial Park trailer facility to be shared with Surrey

White Rock council has taken a first step toward providing a daytime warming centre for the balance of this winter. (File photo)
Mount Olive Lutheran Church, at 2350 148 St., is hosting the Semiahmoo Peninsula’s extreme-weather shelter for the 2021-2022 season. (File photo)

South Surrey/White Rock daytime warming centre remains top-of-mind

Extreme-weather shelter users have ‘nowhere to go’ between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Mount Olive Lutheran Church, at 2350 148 St., is hosting the Semiahmoo Peninsula’s extreme-weather shelter for the 2021-2022 season. (File photo)
A worker carries wood as a house under construction is shown in a new subdivision in Beckwith, Ont., on January 11, 2018. On Dec. 2, the federal government is putting the previously announced $13.8 million toward a 30-unit supportive housing facility for youth aged 17 to 24. (Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

Feds announce new supportive housing project for people aged 17-24 in Surrey

Funding was initially announced in the summer; will be for youth aging out of government care

A worker carries wood as a house under construction is shown in a new subdivision in Beckwith, Ont., on January 11, 2018. On Dec. 2, the federal government is putting the previously announced $13.8 million toward a 30-unit supportive housing facility for youth aged 17 to 24. (Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)
BC Rent Bank helps people stay out of homelessness. Black Press stock photo.

BC Rent Bank sees daily applications triple in first day after province-wide roll out

Microloan program available in all areas of province

BC Rent Bank helps people stay out of homelessness. Black Press stock photo.
(File photo: Amy Reid)

Province announces nearly 200 temporary shelter spaces in Surrey

197 spaces split between seven sites

(File photo: Amy Reid)
B.C. has the highest rate of evictions in the country according to a new UBC study. File Photo

UBC study finds more than 10 per cent of B.C. renters report being evicted

Province has highest rate of eviction in Canada — by almost 4 percentage points

B.C. has the highest rate of evictions in the country according to a new UBC study. File Photo
Guildford’s new Baird Blackstone Building supportive housing project is named for William Baird Blackstone (inset photo), who died last January. Managed by Lookout Housing and Health Society, the building includes 61 studio units for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. (Building photo: Tom Zillich)

Surrey ‘in dire need’ of more supportive housing units like those in new Blackstone building

Guildford-area structure to house those experiencing homelessness

Guildford’s new Baird Blackstone Building supportive housing project is named for William Baird Blackstone (inset photo), who died last January. Managed by Lookout Housing and Health Society, the building includes 61 studio units for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. (Building photo: Tom Zillich)
Surrey City Hall. (File photo)

Surrey’s COVID pandemic program receives $14M from province

B.C.’s Strengthening Communities’ Services Program gives ‘boost’ to services strained due to pandemic

Surrey City Hall. (File photo)
Smoky skies looking south along 152nd Street on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. There is an air quality advisory in effect across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Donations of water, sunscreen needed in Surrey during heat wave and air quality advisory

Phoenix Centre accepting donations, will then distribute to partner agencies

Smoky skies looking south along 152nd Street on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. There is an air quality advisory in effect across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
A forty-unit permanent supportive housing project has opened in Newton. (Submitted photo: Amy Reid)

40 permanent supportive homes open in Surrey

Site will be operated by Phoenix Society

A forty-unit permanent supportive housing project has opened in Newton. (Submitted photo: Amy Reid)
Phoenix Society distributing water to the homeless and at-risk community over the weekend. (Photo: Phoenix Society/Twitter)

4,500 bottles of water donated for Surrey’s homeless, but more needed through the summer

Phoenix Society prepares backpacks with essential items for the heat wave

Phoenix Society distributing water to the homeless and at-risk community over the weekend. (Photo: Phoenix Society/Twitter)