B.C. to keep Vancouver homeless shelters open

B.C.'s provincial government has decided to continue funding three Vancouver homeless shelters that were scheduled to shut down at the end of April.

Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman announced Friday the ministry will provide about $8 million to keep the temporary HEAT shelters open.

"It means these three shelters will continue offering support to more than 300 people each night until the new supportive housing apartments become available," said Coleman in a statement released Friday morning.

The low-barrier shelters were open December, 2008, to provide emergency shelter for the homeless through the winter.

The province provided $7.25 million to run the shelters in buildings donated by the City of Vancouver.

The three HEAT shelters that are receiving funding extensions are:

• The New Fountain Shelter at 51B Cordova St with 28 beds, run by the Portland Hotel Society.
• The Central Shelter at 240 Northern St., with 100 beds, run by the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre.
• The First United Church at 320 Hastings St., with 200 spaces, run by the First United Church of Canada.

The government has pledged to keep the shelters open until construction is completed on upcoming supportive housing projects in the area.

The deals means four other temporary shelters will close at the end off the month, but the government promised to find shelter and housing options for the estimated 160 people using those beds.

Advocates for the homeless had feared all the shelters would close, pushing about 500 homeless people back out onto the streets for the summer.