First night for warming tent at Kelowna homeless encampment

[Castanet News]

For the first time this winter, a new warming tent is open tonight along the rail trail homeless encampment in Kelowna. Staff from the Kelowna Gospel Mission...

[Cloudy_days]

Why does Castanet even put comments on posts about the homeless? I really wish they wouldn't.

[ljuzelman]

They are mostly homeless due to drug addiction, why do the left wing bleeding heart wokes and the left wing press refer to them as homeless and leave out the drug addiction part. Who is paying for the warming tent and the busses that are running around and Commissionaires, Downtown On-Call patrols, Bylaw Services, community outreach agencies, the Kelowna Fire Department and RCMP — that all will be conducting wellness checks around the city. Sounds like the whole of the city support services are out to look after the drug addicted criminals. What about the poor working people whose furnace goes out, who is looking out for them? Are these warming tents and busses going to be no drug zones? Who is going to monitor that. Eby, Dyas and Trudeau, the left wing self-serving wokes are responsible for all this foolishness. Maybe they should open their wallets wide to accept accountability for their failures.

[Deetkoo]

Never had this volume of people living on streets in Canada, 50 years ago. Where did the governments go wrong ?

[TylerC]

ljuzelman is just another boomer idiot talking out their *bleep*. Homeless are not homeless mainly due to drug addiction, that's just entirely false. But whatever makes you feel good talking *bleep* about anyone who isn't a Conservative. And I'm gonna guess you think we should be the 51st state as well. Just bitching about 'woke', 'DEI', 'Liberals' when you can't even tell me what they mean. Just sitting there crying and shaking in fear about the boogeymen that Faux News and Trumplethinskin tell you to.

[glasscleaning420]

I hope everyone stays safe in these cold temperatures. I hope one day we will live in a society where everyone has their basic needs met.

[kir10]

The ignorance and lack of basic human decency in some of these comments are disgusting. Homelessness and addiction don’t make someone less of a person, and acting like they deserve to suffer in the freezing cold is heartless. If you think this could never happen to you or someone you love, you’re delusional. Life can change in an instant. Instead of sitting behind your screen spewing judgment, try having some compassion. These are real people fighting real battles, and they deserve warmth and dignity just like anyone else.

[Darryn1]

Not everyone who is on the street is a drug addict. I was an outreach worker who worked with them daily. Yes, some are, or have made poor choices, however alot are good, talented people with skills, who have had a rough time in this ecomomy like many of us are having.

[GlenmoreGladiator]

Not everyone who is on the street is a drug addict. I was an outreach worker who worked with them daily. Yes, some are, or have made poor choices, however alot are good, talented people with skills, who have had a rough time in this ecomomy like many of us are having.

You are right, and many of these people are fortunately able to receive help and get off the streets thanks to the efforts of outreach workers. The problem that people are frustrated about and referring to are the ones that are totally addicted, totally mentally ill, and at this point are homeless drug addled criminals by choice. Shame on Justin Trudeau and his courts for enabling drug use and such antisocial behaviour. Bring back mental institutions!

[TMBOkanagan]

They are mostly homeless due to drug addiction, why do the left wing bleeding heart wokes and the left wing press refer to them as homeless and leave out the drug addiction part. Who is paying for the warming tent and the busses that are running around and Commissionaires, Downtown On-Call patrols, Bylaw Services, community outreach agencies, the Kelowna Fire Department and RCMP — that all will be conducting wellness checks around the city. Sounds like the whole of the city support services are out to look after the drug addicted criminals. What about the poor working people whose furnace goes out, who is looking out for them? Are these warming tents and busses going to be no drug zones? Who is going to monitor that. Eby, Dyas and Trudeau, the left wing self-serving wokes are responsible for all this foolishness. Maybe they should open their wallets wide to accept accountability for their failures.

I would think that if your furnace went out and you were freezing, you would be welcome in the warming tent, too.

[swoop975]

The ignorance and lack of basic human decency in some of these comments are disgusting. Homelessness and addiction don’t make someone less of a person

No ONE has said that's the case.

It's the actions of some of the homeless that many have issues with.

And, it's the endless 'enabling' that basically says there's no stigma around being homeless.

But, there should be. Being homeless should be a bad thing.

[ljuzelman]

Lots of bleeding hearts. Why don't you open up your homes and take some of the drug addicted criminals in to shoot up in the warm.

[corsan]

"The current designated outdoor sheltering site is located at the intersection of Richter Street and the Rail Trail. The site is temporary and there is no intention for it to become a permanent fixture or entrenched encampment." https://www.kelowna.ca/our-community/so ... sheltering

How many people believed this was true when it was written? The encampment area was built in early 2021. It is now very much a permanent fixture and entrenched encampment.

[faerae]

I have been there twice to see how things go , Tuesday night the warming was there engine running for 1.5hrs with only a security guard and the driver on board . Also the tent is slightly warmer than outside but there was electricity for lights and a blower/heater but no hot drinks available. How hard would it be to have a coffee maker or kettle going really ?