The City of Victoria is opening an overnight warming centre in James Bay to help vulnerable people escape the cold, windy weather forecasted for Sunday night.
The co-ed centre will be open from 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, until 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 28, at the James Bay United Church at 511 Michigan St., according to the city in a tweet.
Environment Canada is predicting a low of one degree Celsius Sunday night mixed with 20-kilometre-per-hour winds gusting to 60 near the Juan de Fuca Strait. A 30 per cent chance of showers is also in the forecast.
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The weather office’s forecast is triggering the city’s Extreme Weather Response, which sees overnight shelters open if extended periods of high winds are predicted, if there is sleet, freezing rain or snow accumulation, or if temperatures drop to zero degrees Celsius or lower.
When snow was forecasted earlier this month, officials scrambled to open warming centres because the non-profit operating them was short on funds, the city told CHEK News at the time.
City council has since passed a motion and entered into an agreement with BC Housing, meaning the Crown agency will fund the city’s Extreme Weather Response and dole out money for centres when necessary.
With files from CHEK News
Due to forecasted extreme weather conditions tonight, the City will open a co-ed warming centre from 8pm Nov 27 to 8am Nov 28 at James Bay United Church, 511 Michigan St. pic.twitter.com/IKWKDRlDWQ
— City of Victoria (@CityOfVictoria) November 27, 2022
CHEK News
