'Broken promises': Residents fear imminent closure of shelter in Parksville
Diverging stories are coming from a temporary housing shelter in Parksville, B.C., that's closing at the end of the month.
BC Housing says all tenants of the building will be given new accommodations, but people living at the site say that's not the case.
The VIP Motel, also know as Ocean Place, opened as a temporary housing shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BC Housing says it reached an agreement with the City of Parksville on Oct. 5 to close the shelter on March 31.
That closure date is fast approaching, and residents are getting nervous about what comes next.
"They're all broken promises," said resident Rodd Nall. "I've tried to keep my cool, you know, these people have been fighting for our lives."
Nall has been living at the shelter since the start of the pandemic. He and his wife are among those facing eviction and who say they have nowhere else to go.
"My wife, what are you going to do? Like, I'm supposed to put a tent over her wheelchair?" he said. "She's bedbound."
In a statement Tuesday, the province said all residents would be offered new housing.
"In partnership with non-profit housing providers, BC Housing has offered new, safe, indoor accommodations to all remaining shelter guests," reads the statement.
Due to privacy concerns, BC Housing says it's unable to say where the tenants will be going, but residents tell CTV News that they were promised housing in Parksville close to the services they currently use.
"This is not the case," said Kelly Morris, a recovery coach at the VIP Motel.
"They've moved nine people out already to Nanaimo against their will," she said. "They've also, it's been disclosed to me, that the rest of them they're not working with."
On Wednesday, a representative from BC Housing arrived at the motel to hold a meeting with staff looking after the facility.
"We have 24-hour staff. Two staff during the day, two staff during the evening," said Paula Miles, manager of the VIP Motel.
"We also have an executive director now and we walk alongside the residents and work with the goals they have in mind," she said.
Miles has managed the motel for the past five months and says the program is working and needs to stay.
"There is no place for these people to go but out on the street," she said. "So we're looking at close to 18 to 20 people could end up on the street."
BC Housing says it has opened 52 supportive homes in Parksville since 2018 and is working to provide more housing options and supports.
These tenants say they would love to get into some of those locations, but fear that on March 31 they will be on the streets or living in vehicles.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6971573.1721489566!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Alberta town takes action fighting crime, addressing homelessness, addictions issues
In Cold Lake, Alta., drivers leaning through windows at the McDonald’s drive-thru have been ambushed by people running by and snatching food right out of their hands.
Workplace habit of 'coffee badging' prompts reported new policy at Amazon
The term 'coffee badging' has gained some new significance this week with multiple outlets reporting Amazon is allegedly taking measures to counter the workplace trend it refers to.
Trudeau and family head to British Columbia for vacation in unnamed location
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will head to British Columbia on Sunday, where he will be on vacation with his family until Aug. 1.
Stranger sexually assaulted Surrey woman while she was asleep in her home, RCMP say
A woman in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood woke up to a stranger groping her early Saturday morning, according to local police.
Baby dies after pregnant woman fatally struck by vehicle in downtown Toronto
A woman fatally struck by a sedan in downtown Toronto earlier this week was pregnant, and her baby has also died, police say.
'I took a bullet for democracy': Trump holds first rally after assassination attempt
Donald Trump is holding his first campaign rally since he survived an attempted assassination, returning to the battleground state of Michigan alongside his new running mate.
Democratic consensus solidifies around Harris, should Biden step aside
No one quite knows what the process of picking a new nominee would be if Joe Biden did step aside – but many Democrats say that any process is likelier than ever to quickly end with Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee.
A 12-year-old girl is accused of smothering her younger cousin over an iPhone
A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her eight-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept. A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.
Here are the signs you're ready to downsize your home
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, many Canadians are looking to find ways to save money, such as downsizing their home. But one Ottawa broker says there are several signs to consider before making the big decision.