There are more temporary beds available for Kelowna’s homeless population. Canadian Mental Health Association of Kelowna CEO Mike Gawliuk says 20 more beds have been added as a temporary solution to keep those living on the streets safe and warm. “The 20-bed warming shelter is a temporary solution for four nights this week during a cold front that calls for evening temperatures to reach -10,” he said. “At CMHA Kelowna, we are meeting the mental health needs of our community and while creating the temporary shelter is the human thing to do, limited staff capacity and use of existing program space limit our ability to expand this temporary solution.” CMHA responded to a call for action from the province as temperatures are expected to drop below -9 for the rest of the week. Gawliuk says they don’t want to give away the location of the warming site, but said their team “recognizes the complex needs of homeless people.” “We strongly support solutions that go beyond temporary winter shelters to include a range of housing options with necessary and appropriate supports, including clinical support in the form of social work, nursing and clinical counsellors.” According to the Kelowna Gospel Mission, about 150 people are sleeping on the streets amid sudden winter conditions that have hit Kelowna. A new shelter opened last month in the old BC Tree Fruits packinghouse at the corner of Ellis Street and Bay Avenue, but while the shelter was at half capacity, only 30 beds, due to a lack of staff. “We look forward to working with our not-for-profit partners, BC Housing, Interior Health and the City of Kelowna to move beyond reactive measures and create real and sustainable solutions to the issue of homelessness and those who are not housed in the our community. Gawliuk says. Last week, a group of shelter providers in the Thompson-Okanagan called on the province to review the system of opening and closing temporary shelters each season, calling it a “disgustingly pointless proposition to see this as a solution to the humanitarian crisis we face. “
