About the Extreme Weather Response Program

The Extreme Weather Response (EWR) program funds community-based services to provide extra emergency shelter spaces during periods of extreme winter weather, that threatens the health and safety of individuals who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

EWR is designed to fund time-limited, temporary additional shelter spaces that can open during extreme weather to provide a space to anyone who wants to come inside.

EWR is a winter weather-related emergency program. For information on resources for heat related emergency services please visit Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke.

Key Program Dates

BC Housing encourages communities to begin engaging with BC Housing as soon as possible to discuss plans for an EWR shelter. While the intention of the program is to have EWR shelters in place prior to the start of the EWR season, BC Housing will continue to review new EWR Plan proposals throughout the winter.

• September 30 – Community representatives are required to submit their EWR Plan to BC Housing
• September 30 - Proposed EWR Nightly Budget due
• October 15 to April 15 - EWR season
• End of EWR season – Submit EWR Report to BC Housing

Note: Although the goal is to have EWR shelters ready before the start of the EWR season and colder weather, BC Housing will continue to review new EWR Plan proposals throughout the winter and provide support as needed.

Who is involved in local EWR?

Community partners, including non-profits, faith organizations, municipalities, and other groups. The community identifies one of the partners as the community representative. The community representative works with local partners to develop and propose a community based EWR Plan to BC Housing.

What’s in an EWR Plan?

An EWR Plan includes:

• Evidence that an extreme weather response is required
• Name of the community and geographic area covered by the plan
• Name of the lead community representative, a backup person if necessary, to monitor weather conditions, to activate and cancel EWR alerts
• The weather conditions that activate EWR alerts
• A list of community partners participating in EWR in the community
• Name and address of each EWR shelter site
• The capacity of each EWR shelter site, such as how many mats as approved by local authorities
• Hours of operation for each EWR shelter site
• Communication procedures during an EWR event
• Procedure for working on media inquiries

All EWR Plans must be approved by BC Housing and the operator of the EWR site must commit to complying with all relevant municipal bylaws and fire regulations, including keeping the shelter clean, safe, and free from hazards. It is the provider’s responsibility to obtain and provide BC Housing with evidence that the shelter has been approved by the municipality and the fire department for use as an Extreme Weather Response Program shelter.

Who determines when EWRs open?

The activation of EWR sites depends on the weather conditions set out in each community’s EWR Plan, as prepared by the community, and approved by BC Housing each year.  

During extreme winter weather events the community representative issues an alert, pursuant to the Assistance to Shelter Act, that ensures partners are aware of the EWR shelters that are opening and alerts police to assist persons at risk due to extreme weather conditions. The alert remains in effect – and EWR shelters open each night – until it is cancelled by the community representative.

Program Links:

• Program Framework (Updated 2011)
• EWR Nightly Budget Template (Updated July 2025)
• EWR Invoice Template (Updated July 2025)
• Shelter Map
• BC Housing Contact and Alert Email Templates (Updated August 2025)
• EWR End of Season Report Template - (To be reopened after April 15, 2026)
• The Assistance to Shelter Act
• The Assistance to Shelter Regulation

Contact

For EWR related inquiries, please email [email protected].

2025/2026 EWR Community Planning

The table below provides periodic updates on the status of EWR planning by community and the identified community lead. Table last updated August 6, 2025.