Abbotsford extreme weather shelters already over capacity, raising concerns for those left in the cold

Emergency weather shelters for unhoused people in Abbotsford are already over capacity as shelter operators say they have noticed a large increase in homelessness in the city. 

The city's 50 spaces in two extreme weather response shelters (EWRS) are currently full every night, says the city's extreme weather response coordinator Jesse Wegenast. 

"Demand that high usually doesn't happen until January when we get prolonged stretches of cold weather," Wegenast told CBC News, adding that a third EWRS is on the way in the city to meet the rising demand. 

These emergency shelters, run by B.C. housing, open in the winter when a local community declares that sleeping outside could threaten health and safety. According to B.C. Housing there are currently 24 EWRS open across the province with a total of 418 beds. 

Wegenast says cold weather means finding shelter spaces for people can be life or death.

Cheryl Watson, 61, has been living at a shelter for older adults inside a church for six months. She says doesn't know how she would survive a night on the street in the cold.

"For me, it would be beyond words because I have a circulation diseases ... cold would not be my friend," she told CBC News from her shelter space, complete with a bed and privacy partitions.

Watson became homeless after she "lost everything" in a car crash that left her injured and unable to work.

"You can't even put it in words, I'm so grateful to have to have a shelter like this," said Watson. 

"I would dearly love to see the government ... double and triple and quadruple these shelters and do it now."

Wenegast says Abbotsford's approximately 150 permanent shelter spaces are already at capacity year-round. 

Rob Studiman, community ministries director at the Salvation Army, which runs several shelters in Abbotsford and the Lower Mainland, says he has also noticed an increase in demand for shelter space. 

"It's just come to the point where we are just trying to get them to a safe and warm place to be at night," said Studiman. 

A spokesperson for B.C. Housing, the provincial corporation in charge of shelters, says it is open to funding additional shelters if suitable locations can be found. 

"B.C. Housing understands the urgent need for overnight shelter spaces in Abbotsford, especially during the winter months," said the spokesperson in a Saturday statement. 

The organization said there are currently more than 5,200 emergency weather, temporary and permanent shelter spaces open across the province. 

'Housing is the key'

The increased demand for shelter space reflects the growing homeless population in Abbotsford and communities across B.C. as rents and the costs of necessities skyrocket, Wegenast said.

While he used to see many people who were chronically homeless, often due to mental health issues, substance use disorders or trauma, he's now seeing more people becoming homeless for the first time.

"People are falling out of the bottom of the rental market simply because they don't have enough money and they don't have the family support," said Wegenast.

Wegenast says proposed changes to require local governments to demonstrate there is reasonable access to alternative shelter before clearing encampments will hopefully be "a catalyst" for municipalities and other levels of government to provide more shelter and housing options.

But he and Studiman say shelters alone aren't the answer, and local governments and the province need to expedite permanent, affordable housing projects.

"Housing is the key. We are not going to be able to shelter our way out of this housing crisis," said Wegenast.