Fort St. James now has a cold weather shelter which is open to anyone is seeking shelter during these cold months. It located at 222 2nd Avenue. and is open to the public, operating daily from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
This new cold weather shelter, is the result of good work done over the past few years by a community housing committee to address the needs of homeless.
This shelter project was spear-headed by Nak’azdli Whut’en Capital & Lands Dept, The United Church, the District of Fort St. James, the Food Bank, They KEY and Fort St. James RCMP, with funding from BC Housing.
The shelter houses men, women and children and is a low barrier shelter so persons do not have to be completely sober, however the safety of the guests is of utmost importance and police have and will intervene for misbehaviour.
In the past, some people who are homeless during extreme cold temperatures have had to call police or turn themselves into the Detachment wishing to be arrested so they could be housed inside the warm cell block.
For obvious reasons, sober persons who are not breaking the law do not belong in jail, however Fort St. James RCMP would never turn anyone away in the cold weather and has allowed persons to stay in jail cells for the night.
-with files from Sgt. Poppy Hallam