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Background

The Victoria Cool Aid Society, with funding from the province’s BC Housing, and land supplied by the City of Victoria, is proposing to construct a new, purpose-built, emergency shelter with transitional housing in Burnside Gorge. The new facility will better house and support clients that currently stay at the much smaller Streetlink shelter plus create the region’s first shelter units for homeless families.

The proposal is now before the residents of Burnside Gorge and Victoria for discussion, input and feedback (see the Community Consultations and Contacts sections below). If the project is to move forward the land must first be rezoned. The City of Victoria’s rezoning and consultation process is also now underway.

The size and location of the site allows for a purpose-designed building that can achieve three key objectives that the existing, cramped Streetlink facility can no longer provide:

1. Sufficient space to accommodate all shelter clients within the building, including courtyard space internal to the property.
2. Provision of support services within the building, such as helping people find work and permanent housing, meaning there will be less activity on the street.
3. Staff levels that ensure full monitoring and counselling.