Temporary housing at Super 8 Motel to remain through winter

Photo: Wayne Moore/file

Cody, a client at the Super 8 in West Kelowna

CLARIFICATION:

Westbank First Nation is not part of a collaborative effort to locate a supportive housing project on WFN lands.

WFN officials say they are only the land-use authority in the project, proposed for 3235 Cougar Road.

Temporary supportive housing set up at the Super 8 Motel in West Kelowna is expected to remain operational at least through the winter.

Officials with Turning Points Collaborative, the non-profit organization running the project says the tentative date is March 31.

"But, if we are still in the middle of this pandemic on March 31, I would imagine everything would be done to continue to shelter these individuals," the official stated to Castanet.

This comes as contracts for other similar facilities in Victoria are not having the leases renewed past the end of March.

Temporary housing at the motel was established in mid-May to get people off the streets in response to COVID-19.

A month ago, plans for a new 52-bed supportive housing complex was announced for Westbank First Nation lands, a collaboration between WFN, BC Housing and Turning Points Collaborative.

Those plans, according to the official, were temporarily put on hold once the election writ was dropped.

"Our hope is right after this election is over, all of the work to get that supportive housing on Westbank First Nation lands gets going again.

"Then, we can eventually move these folks who are at the Super 8 into that."

Since housing opened up at the motel, 10 residents have been able to secure more stable housing.

Those remaining are undergoing Vulnerable Assessment Training to identify who may be ready to move into supportive housing.