Williams Lake City Council voted to send a letter to BC Housing, endorsing the Emergency Cold Weather Action Plan Tuesday night.
The plan was submitted by the Canadian Mental Health Association, and would establish a temporary warming shelter at the Hamilton Hotel.
Well-being and Safety Plan Coordinator Silvia Dubray said the temporary shelter would be an extension of Jubilee Place, and anyone using the shelter would have to go through the same protocols.
Councilor Scott Nelson asked if the hotel was the right location to be used as a long-term solution.
“It needs to made very clear that this is a temporary shelter currently,” Dubray responded, “but BC Housing has been made aware of the deficit we have for housing and the need we have for this. I’m going to speak for myself personally, but I do see this as being a trial run in a hotel that could possibly lead to a place where we could house some of our most vulnerable, while I believe the Jubilee Place becomes rebuilt or restructured.”
The temporary shelter would open in December, and remain open until March 31st.