The City of Duncan is looking to provide more warming spaces this winter, and they say a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) could provide increased access for those who need it.
The city says they were able to provide very minimal coverage for 103 nights last winter at the former Ramada Inn, but Duncan’s CAO Peter De Verteuil feels the City needs to provide a new solution.
“City and CVRD staff feel it’s a much better operation to operate a facility every night for the five months, so there is consistency from a staffing perspective, “says De Verteuil. “It would be much easier to get staff on a regular basis when they know what their shifts are going to be. It’s also more consistent for the users, and those folks who are needing the service.”
He says Duncan’s situation is unique, especially for the City to be the applicant for a TUP, but staff feel this is an improvement over last winter.
The application is expected to go to council on Monday, September 8, but De Verteuil says there has to be public engagement on the matter to allow feedback on the application before council can even look at the proposal and bring the TUP forward.
“It hasn’t been considered in an open council meeting yet,” he says. “We’ve simply decided on a staff basis recommendation that council consider it. It’s a better arrangement to have this every night of the five months, rather than only certain nights.”
Costs for the proposal aren’t expected to impact the City, and De Verteuil says funding will be absorbed through multiple avenues including the Province, regional district, Emergency Management BC, and BC Housing.
“Each will have some contributions to the project, but there will be no costs to the City,” he says.
If the council opts to not proceed with the application for the TUP, there will still be spaces for warming sites, but De Verteuil says spaces will be limited and only available on certain nights of the year.
The City will host a public engagement session on Thursday, September 4, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at City Hall to hear questions or concerns from the public.
