'Out of the Rain' youth shelter opens in Victoria
A seasonal shelter has reopened for young people in Victoria who have nowhere to stay during the region's coldest and wettest months.
The "Out of the Rain" shelter in the Fernwood area opened on Friday and will run until April 15.
The shelter, operated by Beacon Community Services, is open for people aged 15 to 25 from 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily. Pets are also welcome.
"There are still far too many cold, hungry, vulnerable young people in unsafe conditions on the street," said Tricia Gueulette, CEO of Beacon Community Services, in a release Friday.
"Every year for more than 20 years, we’ve opened the Out of the Rain shelter to help keep them safe, warm, and dry," she said.
The shelter can host up to 25 people, and staff from Beacon Community Services will offer meals and can recommend community supports to youth.
This year, the organization will also be running an outreach van, donated by the B.C.-based Aragon Properties.
The van will be used for several purposes, including helping youth reach the shelter, connecting users with community resources and helping youth move their belongings if they find housing.
"We encourage these youth to hope and dream for a better life," said Jenn Mortimer, manager of homeless prevention programs at Out of the Rain.
"But that has to also be backed by practical supports," she said. "The vehicle will be a really important tool. We’re delighted that Aragon Properties is supporting us with this gift."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.