Save-On-Foods arena shelter to close, residents to move to Mount Tolmie Hospital
Dozens of homeless people who are sheltering in Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre will be moved to the vacant Mount Tolmie Hospital in Saanich this week.
The province says its shelter lease with the Victoria arena could not be renewed, forcing BC Housing to find new accommodations for 43 people who are still living in the arena.
"We've seen first-hand the positive impact safe and secure shelter have on people experiencing homelessness, as well as the broader community," said David Eby, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, in a statement Monday.
New accommodations at Mount Tolmie Hospital, and other existing shelter locations around the region, will allow residents to have their own rooms and access social supports.
"We have worked hard over the last year to move people living outdoors inside and we don't want to send people back to living on the streets,” Eby added. “This new Mount Tolmie Hospital shelter will allow guests to have rooms of their own and ensure they can continue to access the supports they need so that their journey to wellness is not interrupted."
The province says the move is necessary because the arena is hosting the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Olympic Qualifying Tournament from June 29 to July 4.
PHS Community Services Society, which has been providing resident services at the arena, will remain the service provider at Mount Tolmie Hospital, located at 3690 Richmond Rd.
The province says this continuity of staffing will minimize disruption to the existing residents, many of whom have been living together for several months.
Island Health and BC Housing have entered into an agreement that enables BC Housing to occupy the hospital for use as a temporary shelter for the next 12 months, according to the province.
The long-term goal for those living in the temporary shelter is to secure suitable supportive housing in the Greater Victoria area, the province added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Canada Post’s newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature “melt-in-your-mouth” desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Canada's real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.