The Salvation Army Lighthouse Shelter opens for the cold season on Sunday, Nov. 1.
The shelter at 441 Third St. has 16 coed beds and will be open from 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. until March 31.
Community Care co-ordinator Dave Byers says everyone who arrives at the shelter before 11 p.m. will be given a hot meal and will get breakfast in the morning.
Byers says BC Housing covers costs when the weather dips below -5C or during nasty weather but the Salvation Army makes sure the doors are open daily until the end of March.
“Basically as long as they need to be there,” says Byers how long people can stay at the shelter overnight. “If you need it, you get in.”
Byers says the shelter provides a safe place for people in need and staff is on site during open hours.
“Over the years we’ve run it, we’ve only had to ask someone to leave a couple of times,” he says, noting they have good relationship with the RCMP, who sometimes drop people at the shelter.