Trail’s La Nina homeless shelter on Riverside Avenue has received the green light from council to operate for another three years.
Council voted 5–2 in favour of renewing BC Housing’s Temporary Use Permit (TUP) request on Monday, allowing the shelter – which opened in September 2024 under a one-year TUP – to continue operating until September 2028.
The 25-bed shelter is operated by the Trail Association for Community Living (TACL) and offers a range of services in addition to overnight housing, including mental health supports, meals, laundry, washroom facilities, and more.
A year in review
B.C. Housing representatives Tyler Baker and Nanette Drobot attended Monday’s meeting to provide an update on the shelter’s outcomes over the past year.
According to B.C. Housing, the shelter has supported 91 guests between September 2024 and now. Of those, 13 secured permanent housing, five entered substance use treatment, and three received referrals for treatment.
The shelter has seen an 88 per cent overnight occupancy rate since opening, which Baker noted is in line with similar shelters across the province.
Crime and safety
Councillor Terry Martin presented data from local emergency services, comparing call volumes at the former Bay Avenue shelter with those at the new Riverside Avenue location.
During the Bay Avenue era, Martin noted a steep increase in calls to the fire department – from 10 in 2020 to over 100 in 2023.
“It was a bit of a lawless alley if you want to describe it that way,” said Martin.
“There’s a bit more control at the shelter itself, but there’s still calls – and you folks know, you see the emergency vehicles down there from the RCMP perspective.”
Since the Riverside shelter opened, fire department calls have slightly decreased, with 57 recorded over the past 10 months.
Calls for RCMP reached 74 between September 2024 and July 2025 – a modest drop compared to the Bay Avenue site, which saw 99 calls at its peak in 2021.
These calls included disturbances, wellness checks, thefts, and suspicious activity.
Despite the slight decline, Councillor Thea Hanson – who voted against the renewal – pointed out concerns surrounding individuals congregating outside the shelter.
“One of the concerns brought forward by RCMP before the shelter opened was individuals surrounding the shelter, outside the shelter fence, and passing along food and whatnot,” said Hanson.
“I just want to inquire what the policy is and is it being followed, because I can see around there shopping carts and such. And my concern is the congregation – people that are not allowed to be in the shelter because they can’t follow the rules – causing disturbances for the neighbours.”
B.C. Housing explained that the shelter does not have enforcement authority over the area outside its fence but agreed that if the issue continues, further discussion with the City and community members may be needed.
Drop-in concerns
Councillors Bev Benson and Doug Wilson raised concerns about what was described at the Community Safety Task Force meeting as a “three-day reset” pattern where some guests have reportedly been using the shelter briefly before returning to encampments around the city.
For Benson, this resembled a drop-in model, something she said the City had intentionally tried to move away from.
Drobot clarified the shelter’s approach.
“There is no three-day reset or three-day policy here,” she said.
“There’s always a desire to get people to engage with services to the greatest extent possible and build relationships so that they can start to improve their quality of life.
People do have a choice though, and you cannot keep people in a place like a shelter if they choose not to. So some people may choose to leave.”
Councillor Wilson, who also opposed the extension, echoed those concerns.
“We were sold on the shelter not being a drop-in for a night. It was supposed to be for people who want to be there and stay there. So that’s a big shock for me,” said Wilson.
“If somebody stays there for a night but keeps leaving and coming back, there’s got to be a pattern that you can follow to say ‘sorry, you know, either you’re in or you’re out.’ But that’s what we were sold on.”
Drobot responded by questioning the alternative.
“So then you deny them the bed and their housing community?” she asked.
“No, I want people who want to be there full time,” Wilson replied.
“The shelter that we had downtown was a come-and-go model, and it created a hub in that alley. So I’d like to just know if we can get some assurances from you that this is more of a shelter for people who want to be there – not who just want to go in for a day, do their laundry, whatever they do in there, and then leave again.”
Both Drobot and Baker emphasized that the shelter aims to provide long-term support, but added that shelter staff cannot deny service to those only whiling to stay short-term.
“That’s the expectation. They create a care plan. But you can’t force it on them,” said Drobot.
“And we won’t deny service to someone who is only willing to stay for a couple of nights. That’s not what emergency shelter is about. We want people to stay. People are accessing services and doing really well and staying there because they see the value it has in their lives and the improvements that they’re making.”
Not a permanent solution
Council also emphasized that the shelter is not a permanent solution, and BC Housing acknowledged that efforts to find a long-term supportive housing site in Trail are ongoing – but slow.
“The first step in building a permanent shelter in Trail is to find a site. So we need to agree on where in Trail a permanent shelter can go – just like we agreed on the Riverside Avenue,” said Baker.
He added that B.C. Housing’s approach includes both shelter and supportive housing, as part of a complete housing continuum.
“All of that is part of a continuum of housing that people can move along. We have a number of people on both of our teams who are evaluating options in Trail for permanent housing and we are looking at it as a complete region.”
A recording of the meeting is available on the city’s website, you can watch it by clicking here.
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