Temporary Extreme Weather Response Shelter to be setup at 1755 Coldwater Ave

MERRITT — A new temporary Emergency Shelter is being set up at 1755 Coldwater Avenue.

A Shelter that will run from January 7th to March 31st as an emergency hide-away from the harsh winter weather during the toughest days of winter.

The Shelter will also provide rides to and from the center. It will be open from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. during those months, when weather is at its harshest.

It will run when an Extreme Weather Response (EWR) is issued for Merritt. An EWR means Temperatures sustained or feeling like – at or below minus 7 degrees Celsius – and/or a Snowstorm accumulating more than 5 cm of snow. 

This is subject to change from a Medical Health Officer.

The ASK Wellness Society and Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society will partner together to operate the shelter.

It becomes a humanitarian crisis as the homeless population rises in Merritt. The homeless population was 43 in 2020 and was recently reported to be at 67 in 2023.

The center is a life-or-death crisis center with mats not beds, and warm meals provided, and multiple staff-on-site. The Desert Inn will still be the main shelter in town and is reportedly at full capacity most of the time.