It seems a new 44 bed, 24/7 temporary emergency shelter is headed for the North Shore of Kamloops, although no final decision by Kamloops City Council was made as part of a presentation on Tuesday.

City Council did discuss the creation of a site the former site of Butler Auto and RV at 142 Tranquille Rd. for around 2 hours.

Council was presented with a temporary use permit application at their Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday (Nov 5).

The City notes Butler Auto and RV closed over the summer, with the location sold to ARPA Investments, which has agreed to lease the site to BC Housing for 20 months as it prepares to redevelop the site.

ARPA partner Joshua Knaak says he sees his company’s partnership with BC Housing, as well as ASK Wellness, as an opportunity to help alleviate many of the concerns for North Shore residents and businesses, as well as ensure the developer can directly influence how the Community Access Hub will impact the community.

“ASK Wellness has been a neighbour of ARPA for many years as our offices are next door to their offices and their Stollery Suites housing and The Colours on Spirit Square share space,” said Knaak. “ASK Wellness has demonstrated a strong commitment to being good neighbours and we have confidence they will be excellent operators of this site.”

While only meant to be a stop-gap measure during the 20 month lease, the temporary project is going to mirror what a permanent North Shore Access Hub would provide — a 24/7 location where unhoused individuals can access shelter services, meals, washroom and shower facilities, culturally safe social and health services, amenity space, and connections to housing, supportive employment, and wellness opportunities.

Carmin Mazzotta, the City of Kamloops’ Assistant Director of Community and Cultural Services, says the site would act as a gateway for people on the streets to find more permanent housing

“From there, there’s housing placement workers that as units become available in the community, they could be connected to and [look towards] recovery,” said Mazzotta.

Mazzotta says the site itself will operate as a shelter, rather than a drop-in location.

“It is a 24/7 site. So folks can definitely come and attend the site and stay on the site, and there’s going to be food provided and services on the site,” noted Mazzotta.  “But it is not a site akin to The Loop which has existed previously on the North Shore. It is not a drop in center as such, and that’s why there’s still a need for gathering spaces for unhoused individuals. Completely hear that, and that’s part of the reason this council, back in June, as well as the access of leadership group, sent those joint advocacy letters to the province around the need to develop a provincial program for that. But this site is not that.”

Mazzotta says steps will be taken to ensure the shelter will have a minimal impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

“The site is a contained site. The location will be fully fenced and monitored by security cameras,” noted Mazzotta.  “[There will be a] place where folks can store their belongings. There’ll be outdoor amenity space set up near the back of the property where meals can be provided.  Additional site improvements for things like landscaping can occur into 2025.”

While the City has opened a public consultation window, including an open forum scheduled for November 21st, opposition to the project was already evident at Tuesday’s council session.

This included concerns over ‘false alarms’ being triggered at businesses, as well as the prospect of more human feces showing up on properties in the area.

Despite this,  Councillor Kelly Hall argued the location at the start of Tranquille makes sense for a number of reasons.

“With regards to what the individuals that are going to be living there need, close access to services, close access to buses. I think, in all honesty, I think you’ll see the beds full, and you’re taking individuals and giving them an opportunity to come into a home-like situation where services are going to be provided.”

Ask Wellness Executive Director Bob Hughes says their goal is to ensure that community concerns are heard and addressed, noting there will be community outreach.

“We have worked with BC housing around the operating budget to ensure that there is neighborhood liaison services to be able to work with people in the community to support those businesses that are impacted by people who are without housing and accessing the shelter, but to also be able to work those individuals that may be outside the shelter,” noted Hughes.

“If it is not this location, then where?” lamented Hughes.  “We are approaching a winter with hundreds of people without housing, and without shelter, and who call the North Shore home.”

The City says the provincial funding for the emergency shelter has already been committed through to March 31, 2026, as part of the Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary (HEART) Housing program, which was set up by the province to try to eliminate tent cities from popping up or growing in communities.

BC Housing and ASK Wellness will be part of an in-person session for those with concerns set for November 21st.

That information session will run from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Sports Centre Lounge at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.