People experiencing homelessness will soon have access to 40 new shelter beds
Summary
- Driftwood Shelter will provide 40 safe, secure spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Powell River
- Lift Community Services will have staff on site 24/7 to manage the shelter and provide services to shelter guests
- On-site support services will include two meals a day, storage, laundry, washroom and shower facilities, as well as connections to community-based services and permanent housing
POWELL RIVER - People in need of safe, secure places to sleep will soon have access to 40 new beds in Powell River with the opening of Driftwood Shelter.
"Shelters help people who are experiencing homelessness have access to safe, warm places with on-site services that can help them stabilize their lives," said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. "These spaces will serve the community, while we work together with partners on a permanent shelter to ensure that people experiencing homelessness will always have a place to go when they need it. Bringing more people indoors, instead of sheltering outdoors, will help keep them safe and increase community safety as a whole."
Located at 7104 Barnet St., the new temporary shelter was built after the March 2025 closure of a 20-bed emergency shelter at 4746 Joyce Ave. and doubles the previous shelter's capacity in the community.
Operated by Lift Community Services, the shelter has been named Driftwood Shelter as a symbol of endurance and landing. The temporary shelter has been constructed out of temporary modular units and will remain open 24/7, year-round, while work toward a permanent shelter continues in the community.
The shelter includes security features, such as fenced grounds, controlled access, 24/7 staffed reception, security cameras and lighting.
On-site supports and services
The shelter will offer the following supports and services to those in need in the community:
- 24/7 staffing
- daily meals
- laundry and hygiene facilities
- storage for belongings
- connections to housing and support services
In addition, in response to the toxic-drug crisis, the qathet overdose prevention service, previously at 4752 Joyce Ave., is now located at the temporary shelter site. Funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and operated by Lift, the site will provide life-saving services.
"When people in vulnerable situations have a safe, secure place to stay with access to on-site supports, their health and well-being can improve in meaningful ways," said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. "The Driftwood Shelter is a place where the Powell River community comes together to support essential needs and provide life-saving supports, ensuring people have a place where safety, dignity and health are the priority."
Lift is funded to operate the overdose prevention site nine hours a day, seven days per week. Resources include a peer recovery navigator, who supports connecting participants with a range of other mental-health and substance-use services and supports available in the qathet area.
The overdose prevention site is part of a crucial continuum of harm reduction and treatment supports available to people at risk of an overdose and living with substance-use disorder. This continuum includes drug checking, outreach supports, withdrawal management, addictions treatment and recovery services. All Vancouver Coastal Health-funded overdose prevention sites are supported by a Vancouver Coastal Health regional nurse educator team to ensure staff are trained in advanced overdose response.
Development partners
This shelter and overdose prevention service are the result of the Province, through BC Housing, Vancouver Coastal Health, the City of Powell River and Lift Community Services working together to support people sheltering outdoors and in encampments, prioritizing their health and safety.
This work is part of the Province's Belonging in B.C. plan to help prevent homelessness and bring more people indoors quickly. Since 2017, the Province has more than 95,000 homes delivered or underway, including more than 280 homes in Powell River.
Quotes:
Randene Neill, MLA, Powell River-Sunshine Coast -
"Helping vulnerable residents who need a safe place to go is one of the many actions our government is taking to help the community. These shelter spaces are the first step to ensuring that no one in Powell River is left behind and we're looking forward to continuing our work together to help people find homes, improving safety for them and the community."
Dr. Moliehi Khaketla, medical health officer, Vancouver Coastal Health -
"As the toxic-drug crisis continues to take lives across B.C., overdose prevention sites play a vital role in keeping people alive and connected to care. Co-locating this site with the shelter ensures people at highest risk can access life-saving support in the very place they seek safety. This approach reduces public overdoses and harm in the community, while offering compassionate, evidence-based care that helps stabilize lives and supports pathways to recovery."
Ron Woznow, mayor of Powell River -
"The City of Powell River is pleased to have played our part in offering the land on which the new temporary shelter will be located. We are thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with BC Housing and for BC Housing's investment in our community to create a safe and dignified space for our vulnerable residents."
Kim Markel, executive director, Lift Community Services -
"We're grateful for the collaborative work that has gone into re-establishing shelter supports in qathet. We are proud to be operating essential community services that provide immediate emergency shelter and overdose prevention services to community members, and remain committed to the advancement of permanent solutions that address homelessness and the toxic drug crisis."
Quick Facts:
- The Province, through BC Housing, has provided $4.6 million toward construction of the shelter through HEARTH funding and approximately $1.6 million in annual operating funding.
- Vancouver Coastal Health has provided funding for operations of the overdose prevention site.
- The City of Powell River provided the land for shelter use.
Learn More:
- To learn about the steps the Province is taking to address the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for people in B.C., visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/
- To read the Belonging in B.C. plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BelongingStrategy.pdf
- To see a map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C., visit: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC
- Learn more about household supports for people in B.C. and for those who build and provide homes here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/more-homes-for-people