We all like a good gripe about the weather, especially when it’s been raining for two months straight. But how many of us have had to sleep in it?
The North Shore Emergency Weather Shelter is now open and welcoming our neighbours who still sleep “rough” at night in wooded areas, alcoves or their vehicles where they won’t be bothered.
According to the shelter manager, there’s been an uptick in the number of young people, seniors, and families looking for a warm, dry place at night to rest their bones.
It’s getting harder to find permanent housing for these folks because affordable and available units are basically a thing of the past.
It’s an all-too-perfect microcosm of the housing crisis and a reminder that the housing market is a spectrum, full of knock-on effects.
While landlords and people selling their homes have never had it better, it’s the people at the other end of the continuum who are paying the steepest price.
The federal government released a report in advance of its national housing strategy this week. It was long on stating the obvious and short on the specifics as to what can be done about it.
The province has laudably put up more than $500 million towards affordable and supportive housing but it’s going to take years for these units to come online, and years of neglect mean we won’t nearly be out of the woods.
Action can’t come fast enough. It’s cold out there.
In the meantime, we encourage everyone to make their way down to the shelter at 705 West Second St. and drop off some badly needed donations.
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