Freezing weather in Victoria forecast prompts activation of emergency warming centre

With freezing temperatures expected overnight, the City of Victoria is opening a warming centre to give shelter to vulnerable residents.

The centre will open at the James Bay United Church at 511 Michigan St. from 8 p.m. Nov. 18 to 8 a.m. Nov. 19, the city said in a tweet.

Despite a sunny, clear Friday, Environment Canada is forecasting a low of zero degrees overnight Friday and into Saturday, automatically triggering the city’s Extreme Weather Response.

Under that plan, overnight shelters are set to open when temperatures reach zero degrees Celsius or lower, if there is sleet or freezing rain, if there is snow accumulation on the ground, or if there are sustained periods of high winds.

Earlier this month, the city scrambled to open warming centres with snow in the forecast because of a lack of people to manage them.

The city confirmed to CHEK News that it was because funding dried up for the non-profit that operated the shelters.

Since then, the city entered into an agreement with BC Housing to help fund the Extreme Weather Response plan after its virtually brand news council passed a motion.

Under the agreement, BC Housing will give money to the city for nighttime warming centres during extreme or prolonged cold weather.

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