Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

Point-In-Time Homeless Count

Homeless count planned in Vernon next year

Nov 1, 2024 | 2:52 PM

Data on how many people are experiencing homelessness in Vernon will be collected in 2025.

Annette Sharkey, Executive Director of the Social planning Council, told Vernon City Council that a point-in-time homeless count will be held next April.

The last provincial point-in-time count was done in April of 2023 and found there were 279 unhoused people in Vernon. Sharkey said that figure is not exact as “there’s an ebb and flow of people who are moving out of homelessness and in and out of the community,” adding the Turning Points Collaborative Society’s shelter helped 341 different individuals during that year.

The Social Planning Committee representative also told council that the motel program, work by the Camp Okanagan Outreach Liaison (COOL) team, and more supportive housing has helped move some people off the streets, but there were still pressures due to the housing crisis.

Looking toward the coming months, Sharkey said the Turning Points shelter will offer more beds for individuals to access, and the Upper Room Mission will re-open it’s winter shelter. She added more shelter beds will become available and the warming bus will be activated when the overnight temperature drops to the -10°C mark.

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Sharkey said the Social Planning Committee is expecting funding from B.C. Housing for the homelessness supports and programs.