Sidney has officially approved an Extreme Weather Response Shelter (EWRS) at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church for this coming winter.
An EWRS does not operate full-time or year-round, but is rather a Province-funded shelter space that allows unhoused individuals to access a safe space when severe weather conditions may be detrimental to their health if they were to sleep outdoors.
This newly approved EWRS has been a long time coming for those who need it.
Prior to the approval of the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church site, Sidney’s town council rejected an application to have an EWRS established in Wakefield Manor.
This application rejection took place in September 2025 after numerous members of the public spoke out at the meeting, concerned because they believed a temporary shelter such as this would compromise the safety of the residents at Wakefield Manor.
Since that time, staff have been working with Beacon Community Services (BCS) to find an alternate site where the shelter space could be established when needed.
As a temporary solution, council approved a pilot warming centre to operate through this past winter in the Nell Horth Room alongside the Sidney/North Saanich Library.
This endeavour operated without incident over seven of the winter’s colder nights and served 15 individuals—primarily older adults—who would have otherwise been left out in the cold or had to find a way to a neighbouring community’s EWRS.
Now, council has approved the Temporary Use Permit (TUP) which will see the EWRS established in the community this winter.
BCS will operate the shelter, which will only open on nights when extreme winter weather poses a risk to unhoused community members.
The TUP is valid for up to three winter seasons.
During the council meeting where the shelter’s TUP was approved, Sidney resident Arianne Stevenson presented a petition to council objecting to the EWRS. She had 132 residents sign her petition.
“The proposed location of the EWRS has generated significant concern, fear and frustration among residents of our neighbourhood and the broader community, who believe it is an inappropriate site given its close proximity to the homes of frail and elderly seniors, families and local businesses,” Stevenson wrote in her petition.
“Many individuals have commented that the safety, security and overall well-being of the elderly residents in our neighbourhood will be significantly jeopardized.”
Despite her claims, no evidence was presented that suggests any neighbour, resident or business would be put in jeopardy by the establishment of an EWRS.
Although some spoke out against the EWRS being established at St. Andrew’s, many residents came out to speak in support of the shelter—many of whom were seniors.
Those who spoke in favour of the matter touched on subjects of compassion and caring for fellow community members who happen to be unhoused.
In total, five community members came to the meeting and spoke in support of the EWRS, while only one spoke against it.
When it came time for council to speak on the matter, Councillor Steve Duck moved the motion’s approval.
“These people live in our community, these people are a part of our community, they are residents of our community and we have five square-kilometres in which we live in, so somewhere this is going to exist in our community and it will always be in somebody’s backyard,” said Duck.
“These people are living here and they need somewhere to survive.”
He also noted that the EWRS would likely only be open approximately 13 days out of the year.
Ultimately, the TUP for the shelter was approved in a 6-1 vote, with Councillor Chad Rintoul being the only one in opposition.
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It'a not too much for a community member to want to come in from the cold (or the heat). Thank you for doing the right thing.
