Trail’s La Nina homeless shelter has the provincial government’s blessing to keep operating until a replacement is built.
When city council approved a new location for a temporary shelter on Riverside Avenue in August, it also agreed to keep the existing shelter at 1456 Bay Ave. open after its permit expired on Sept. 30. To do so required a decision from the Ministry of Housing, as by legislation the city is unable to further renew the permit.
The city didn’t hear by the deadline, but city manager Colin McClure said today the ministry has now given the go ahead to let the shelter continue operating despite not complying with local zoning.
BC Housing indicated the new shelter, to be assembled from modular units, won’t be ready until sometime this winter. Council agreed to let the new shelter operate for one year with the possibility of a one-year extension while a location for a permanent supportive housing project is sought.