'Saved my life': Victoria's 'Tiny Town' housing site closing down in September

A temporary housing facility that's been lauded as a success in Victoria has been granted an extension for the second and final time.

The "Tiny Town" facility located in the North Park area is coming down in the fall, roughly two years after its creation during the pandemic.

Francis Mayers, who has lived at the housing site for the past two years, has nothing but good things to say about the village.

"(It) downright saved my life," he said.

The facility is made out of converted shipping containers, and the hope is that it will be replicated elsewhere on Vancouver Island.

"Even the thought of removing something as fine as this is a disturbing thought, to me," said Mayers.

"Even though I would probably be placed somewhere else, it's for others that are on the street that, probably, it would save their lives as well," he said.

Tiny Town was never meant to be permanent.

It was created to support unhoused people during the pandemic and was originally slated to close last year.

In July 2022, Victoria council voted to allow the facility to stay until the end of March. But just this week, council voted to allow it to remain open until the end of September.

"The reason for that is all of the residents here will be moved into permanent [supportive] housing, but that permanent housing isn’t finished yet," said Grant McKenzie, spokesperson for Our Place Society.

McKenzie also supports the idea of other municipalities copying the facility.

"If that was to happen, these units would all be refurbished and set up somewhere new," he said.

"But I haven’t heard of any municipalities stepping forward to open their own version of Tiny Town," said McKenzie.

A similar concept is underway in Port Alberni, B.C.

Construction of 30 "tiny shelters" is being funded by the province, which will be operated by the Port Alberni Friendship Centre.

"You need that commitment from communities that really want to see people being housed," said McKenzie.