New housing for Victoria's tent city residents on track for opening
Housing officials hope new living quarters provide 'stabilizing' effect for residents
New housing for the residents of Victoria's tent city is scheduled to be ready by the end of the month, officials say.
Renovations are underway at a former seniors care home in downtown Victoria to house the residents of the camp, which was erected last fall on the lawn of the provincial courthouse.
Stephen Portman of the Together Against Poverty Society, who has been advocating for the campers, said the move from the tent city appears to be on track.
"I think there is a lot of people who are eager to get into housing, so things have been moving forward," Portman said.
Earlier this month, a B.C. judge granted the provincial government an injunction to shut down the homeless camp and evict people living in tents and shelters, but only once new social housing opens.
The province says 110 people living at the homeless camp have registered for the new housing. Most will pay $375 per month for rent and meals.
Shayne Ramsay, CEO of B.C. Housing, said he hopes the new living quarters provide stability for the tent city residents.
"One of the benefits of this is to provide … stabilizing features for folks so they can get in, get access to nutrition, hygiene, access to health services and begin to stabilize their lives and provide the opportunity to make different kinds of choices, if they want to."
B.C. Housing, along with several other agencies, will hold a public meeting in Victoria Tuesday evening to provide more details about the new housing.
With files from Megan Thomas
To hear the full interview with BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsey, click on the audio labelled: Former care home readied to receive tent city campers