Warming tent ready at Kelowna’s homeless encampment

With the arrival of winter weather, the City of Kelowna and the Kelowna Gospel Mission (KGM) have unveiled a new initiative aimed at providing immediate relief to the city’s homeless population.

A warming tent has been set up at Kelowna’s tent city, offering shelter from the cold.

“This tent is a temporary measure designed to offer relief from the cold for individuals sheltering outside,” said Kevin Mead, Kelowna’s bylaw services manager.

“It will operate like a bus, activated only during extreme cold temperatures to provide a warm, safe space for those in need.”

The tent will remain ready until March 31, with activation triggered during extreme cold weather. Currently, the city has 313 emergency shelter spaces, though over 95% are occupied, leading to a shortfall of about 230 beds and roughly that many people sleeping on the streets.

Along with the warming tent, the city is implementing additional measures, including warming buses and the distribution of warming supplies.

“This initiative is a focused, collaborative effort by a range of partners to ensure that our unsheltered neighbours have access to warmth, safety, and care during the coldest months,” said Carmen Rempel, executive director of Kelowna Gospel Mission.

The city’s emergency weather response plan operates on three levels, depending on the severity of the cold.

Level 1 is activated when the temperature feels between 0°C and -9°C. It includes increased wellness checks and the distribution of warming supplies.

Level 2 is triggered when temperatures feel between -10°C and -19°C. This level includes 24-hour shelter intake when possible, a women-only mat program at Metro Central offering 16 spots overnight, and the mobilization of warming buses and the tent.

Level 3 is declared when temperatures drop below -20°C. At this level, warming buses and the warming tent will operate 24 hours a day.

Kelowna is currently in Level 1 of its emergency weather response.