'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
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion’s biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.
Concern over speeding in Fredericton neighbourhood grows after 2 teens, young adult killed in crash
Three people – including two teens – are dead, and two others are injured after a crash that has left a greater Fredericton community shaken.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.