Extensions sought for Stuart Wood, Merit Place shelters as leases set to expire

Extension sought for shelters

Photo: Castanet

The heads of two non-profits are hoping arrangements can be made to keep the doors open for a pair of Kamloops shelters whose leases are set to expire in the coming weeks.

Alfred Achoba, executive director for Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops, said there’s “growing concern” around what the future holds for the 50-bed Merit Place shelter in Sahali.

BC Housing’s lease for the shelter, located at 725 Notre Dame Dr., will expire in about a week, on March 31, 2025.

Meanwhile, Out of the Cold (OOTC), which operates a 25-bed overnight shelter and a 10-bed 24/7 shelter for seniors at the Stuart Wood schoolhouse on St. Paul Street, is slated to have that lease end on April 30, 2025.

Achoba told Castanet Kamloops he worries that there are few alternatives for the CMHA shelter if a lease extension cannot be achieved.

"I don't think there are many options we have in Kamloops at the moment," Achoba said.

Achoba said the shelter, which is open 24/7, has remained at 100 per cent occupancy since it opened in 2022, taking in vulnerable people who have nowhere else to go.

In 2023, Kamloops council approved an application allowing the development of a car wash on the property after the BC Housing lease expires — but it's unknown if this plan is still being pursued.

Achoba said he’s been asking for information from BC Housing about the status of a lease extension — a matter that is up to the province to negotiate.

“I’ve been told they’re working on it. I do believe they are working on it,” he said, adding he feels at this point, no news could be good news.

The lack of communication, however, is still worrying.

“Given the impact of that shelter and how many clients we have there, there's a bit of concern,” Achoba said.

Achoba said he’s especially concerned amid polarization in the community and around the city council table about shelters.

“No one wants shelters in their neighbourhood, but it is a needed service — and so it's going to be a fine line balancing the need and obviously the concerns that we're hearing from communities and neighbours,” he said.

“At the same time, if we're to close, I think Kamloops will definitely feel such a significant impact of that closure.”

A 'much-needed resource'

Renee Stein, OOTC executive director, said the non-profit wants to continue its work — and while she hasn’t heard any updates on an extension of their shelter, she is hopeful the shelter will be able to remain.

“We are 100 per cent at capacity, 100 per cent of the days. We also have our senior shelter that is also fully booked, and actually we have waiting lists for folks coming into it, so definitely a much-needed resource in Kamloops,” Stein said.

Stein said six seniors have been moved from the shelter into permanent housing since the program started in November — each receiving a “blessings basket,” or housewarming gift, to set them up in their new home along with an invitation to return for meals or to spend time with the Stuart Wood community.

She added Stuart Wood currently offers the only warming space in the city.

“We welcome anybody in our doors from 8:30 to 10 who might need a warm meal, to touch base with staff, to have a shower, to have their laundry done,” Stein said.

She said the City of Kamloops and BC Housing and neighbours have all been supportive of the shelter, including a number of people living nearby who now volunteer at Stuart Wood to serve dinner or help with the senior residents.

“That's been really exciting to not just be a part of a neighbourhood, but to have the neighbourhood become a part of a shelter,” she said.

'Actively working' on extensions

In a statement to Castanet Kamloops, BC Housing said it is working with the City of Kamloops and other partners to maintain operations at the two shelters.

“BC Housing is actively working with community partners on opportunities to extend operations of both shelters in Kamloops and will have more to share in the coming weeks,” the statement said.

It noted additional supports for vulnerable people came online this year with the opening of a year-round 44-bed shelter, Pathways, at 142 Tranquille Rd.