Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

Vancouver shelter over capacity amid decampment

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Apr, 2023 03:26 PM
  • Vancouver shelter over capacity amid decampment

VANCOUVER - The president of the Union Gospel Mission says Vancouver's forced shutdown of an encampment has added another layer of stress to its staff as they put mats in hallways for the overflow of those needing shelter.

Dean Kurpjuweit said Monday their shelter has been at capacity for the last few months, but they had to go over the limit the last few nights to accommodate everyone.

“We have got a number of rooms where we put people in bunk beds and then we have kind of a common space where we put down mats and then in the hallways that lead to the rooms, we put some mats down there,” said Kurpjuweit.

Vancouver police and city staff moved into the Downtown Eastside encampment last Wednesday to dismantle and throw away belongings, tents and other structures that lined the sidewalks on Hastings Street.

Mayor Ken Sim, along with the fire and police chiefs, said the fire danger and increased crime meant the encampment had to be dismantled.

Kurpjuweit said they did all they could to give people a warm, dry place to stay, but they still had to turn some away.

“We all understand that encampments are less than ideal, but on the same hand, if you are going to do that, you need to have enough spots for people to go to and there are not enough spots."

The Union Gospel Mission has been reaching out to fellow organizations to find spaces for these people, including the First United Church and the Salvation Army.

“Unfortunately, everybody seems to be at the same point we are, which is more people than we have space,” said Kurpjuweit.

He said whenever they are over capacity, and more people are asking to stay, it's stressful for them.

"Everything just kind of gets amplified a little bit more."

Members of the group Stop the Sweeps Coalition were distributing coffee, snacks, tents and blankets to people at Oppenheimer Park on Monday.

Ryan Sudds, an organizer with the group, said some residents he spoke with had returned to Hastings Street over the weekend, but city crews chased them out again.

“When the city was coming around yesterday in the rain, people were angry, people were upset, people were fed up. It has been five days now and people are getting angrier and angrier about what’s happening,” said Sudds.

He said many of those who were on Hastings Street are taking what is left of their belongings and setting up in other areas.

“For the folks who are getting displaced on the block, and they don't have shelter or housing, the city isn't offering them anything besides maybe (suggesting) 'you can go to the CRAB Park,'” said Sudds.

The Union Gospel Mission has offered the unhoused blankets, toiletries, clothes and Easter meals.

Kurpjuweit said those are just a “temporary reprieve from the circumstances.”

“We’re going to continue to advocate for permanent solutions to get all of our community members housed, and in a place where they can live independent lives.”

Sim said during a news conference last week that the longer the street camp continues, the higher the odds that more people will lose their lives and even more people will lose their homes to the fire hazard.

MORE National ARTICLES

New trial for B.C. man convicted of sexual assault

New trial for B.C. man convicted of sexual assault
Allen Brooks was convicted by a provincial court judge in 2020 for sexual assaults that allegedly happened in 1990 and 1997 while he was working as an X-ray technician at a hospital in Maple Ridge. Brooks was acquitted of a third count of sexual assault that was alleged to have occurred in 2001.

New trial for B.C. man convicted of sexual assault

B.C. man arrested with needle attached to arrow

B.C. man arrested with needle attached to arrow
Mounties say they were called to the parking lot of the Port Place Mall in the Vancouver Island city on Monday after the man was reportedly threatening people with a stick and the toy bow and arrow.

B.C. man arrested with needle attached to arrow

'Troubled' Eby seeks CSIS interference briefing

'Troubled' Eby seeks CSIS interference briefing
The report prompted Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim to say on Thursday that he was disgusted by its "insinuations," and he wouldn't be part of the conversation if he was Caucasian. Eby says the majority of tools to fight international interference are in federal hands, but he needs to know if there's any way for B.C. to "close any gaps" that the province may have available to it.

'Troubled' Eby seeks CSIS interference briefing

A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown

A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown
A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown, following a five-week Vancouver Police investigation. BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of second-degree murder against Jaal Routh Kueth, a 30-year-old man from Surrey. Kueth remains in custody.

A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown

Take up case of 700 Punjabi students deportation from Canada: Sukhbir Badal

Take up case of 700 Punjabi students deportation from Canada: Sukhbir Badal
Giving details of the case, Badal said the students paid Rs 16 to Rs 20 lakh to the company which purportedly facilitated their admission in Humber College in Ontario by generating fake admission offer letters along with fake fee deposit receipts.

Take up case of 700 Punjabi students deportation from Canada: Sukhbir Badal

Inflation expected to have eased again in February

Inflation expected to have eased again in February
Statistics Canada is set to release its February consumer price index report on Tuesday, giving its most up-to-date reading on inflation ahead of the federal government's budget on March 28. Desjardins and RBC are both forecasting the inflation rate fell to 5.4 per cent last month, down from 5.9 per cent in January.

Inflation expected to have eased again in February