BURSTA new, temporary, emergency shelter is now open in Smithers, much to the dismay of some of its neighbours.
On Nov. 16, the newly founded Bulkley Valley Harm Reduction Society opened the doors to the shelter it will operate until March 2026 as part of the Emergency Shelter Program by BC Housing.
The shelter is located at the intersection of Queen Street and Third Avenue in the old Fabrications building.
Rumblings from some members of the community about the lack of consultation and misinformation flying around on social media prompted the Town of Smithers to hold a town hall-style information session on Nov. 17.
Town staff knew a lot of people would show up and held the meeting in the gym of the Smithers Christian Reformed Church for more space. The idea was to give the Bulkley Valley Harm Reduction Society and BC Housing a chance to explain their plans while also providing an opportunity for the members of the public to speak their minds.
Approximately 100 people attended, and 18 people stood to speak, some in favour and some in opposition.
Mayor Gladys Atrill opened the meeting and acknowledged the need for better housing and healthcare for the homeless population and those with addiction and/or mental health issues.
She said she understands the frustrations of people surrounding the lack of public consultation, which was deemed unnecessary under zoning regulations.
The winter shelter, funded by BC Housing, has capacity for eight beds and is expected to close by March 2026 for the season. She added that when the new permanent Alfred Avenue shelter project is completed, there won’t be a need for the temporary shelter or the tent encampment, which has occupied Veterans Peace Park for several years.
The permanent shelter is slated for the area behind Town Hall and next to Goodacre Place. She emphasized the importance of community safety and involvement, and plans to ensure future shelter projects include local consultation.
The temporary shelter on Third Avenue is a 24/7 space where adults who don’t have a safe place to stay can come in from the cold, rest, and connect with support services. Guests will have access to warm sleeping spaces, hot meals, and washrooms, and a place to connect with supportive staff.
There will be at least two trained staff members on-site, 24 hours a day. Program manager Billie Kennedy explained at the meeting that three hours after they opened on Sunday, they were at capacity.
“We’ve been pretty overwhelmed with the need that’s out there right now, and we’re doing what we can to provide beds and food and support and referral to other services, and everything has been running really smoothly so far, and we are really excited about the potential for connecting folks to support and meeting needs,” she said.
Community members’ opinions at the meeting were split, with about half the speakers in favour and half opposed.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that this building will save lives,” said Smithers resident and soup kitchen volunteer Lee Corneau. “Thank you for choosing to save lives.”
Most of the people who spoke in opposition did not necessarily disagree with the need for a warming shelter, but with the location.
Dr. Wouter Morkel has his practice in the building next door, and said he was not properly consulted or informed about the project. He said he attempted to contact the operators multiple times and was unable to until he knocked on their door.
“I think there’s a right way of doing things and a wrong way, and I don’t think the process has been good, and I don’t think the transparency has been good, and I think there’s been no discussion about potential harms, and there’s been no discussion on how to mitigate those,” he said.
He also noted that Third Avenue is a major artery for the town, and a lot of children use it to walk to school. If people are using drugs at the site, it is unsafe for children, he said.
Dr. Matt Dysktra also has his practice in the same building and spoke about his concerns surrounding safety for his patients and his staff. He also argued that the shelter’s design facilitates addiction rather than helping individuals.
Not all medical professionals agreed with the opposition, though.
Dr. Jodi Preto, who works in the hospital emergency room, said this shelter is a necessary measure.
“I see time and time again, members of our community who have been dealt really unfortunate cards in their life, and as a result, they are unable to have safe housing,” she said.
“It is very difficult to have patients come into the department, be able to treat, very temporarily their ailment of that night, and then have to discharge them into temperatures of minus 20, minus 30.”
Two other nurses spoke out in favour of the need for a warm shelter after treating patients with frostbite or burns to their bodies from trying to light a fire.
Other concerns raised during the meeting were about the lack of consultation.
Scott Marko, who lives in the neighbourhood and owns a business, accused the Town of being blindsided and not engaging the neighborhood adequately. He urged the Town to close loopholes in the regulations and give the community a say in such decisions.
“We have been railroaded to the point of this useless meeting for an already approved project,” he said.
”So much for engaging the neighborhood. I was in the town office on Friday, talking with the CAO and on the phone with the mayor, trying to get the permit approval delayed until after this meeting. Unfortunately, I was not aware that the permit had already been issued. Nobody told me, so I was basically wasting my time.”