Kamloops shelters at full capacity with winter coming up

KAMLOOPS — The Out of The Cold Shelter Society announced new numbers of people experiencing homelessness in Kamloops. At Tuesday’s (Sept. 12) council meeting, executive director Renee Stein said they have counted more than 760 individuals.

That is more than triple the number from 2021, when a Point-in-Time count recorded 206 individuals. With winter around the corner, Stein is worried about available shelter spaces.

“We tend to see mental health change in a lot of our folks. The thought of being homeless in the winter is very scary and a life-threatening situation,” she said. “We are working diligently with all our community providers to really prioritize high risk medical folks right now, some of our more fragile elderly.”

Stein explained that, even though the shelter is at its full capacity, the society still supports individuals in different ways.

“We want to make sure even though we may not have a bed for you, we are going to do everything we can to support you to get through that night,” she explained. “We still make sure you have a warm meal for that evening, try to connect you with any other bed in town, make sure you have something adequate to wear over night.”