On the night of Jan.11, the temperature in the Comox Valley plummeted with windchill reaching up to -18 C. The Vancouver Island region has a severe shortage of shelter options, leaving well above 150 unhoused individuals without a place to stay indoors overnight. Black Press Media reporter Olivier Laurin spent the night outside in an attempt to portray their reality.
B次元官网网址斺赌斺赌�
8:33 p.m. - Environment Canada issued a severe weather warning.
The notice read: B次元官网网址淎n arctic front will bring cold air to the region. The combination of cold arctic air and northerly winds of 20 km/h will generate wind chill values near -20 C. Frostbite and hypothermia can occur within minutes. Anyone who is not dressed warmly is at risk.B次元官网网址�
Black Press Media arrived at CourtenayB次元官网网址檚 Connect Warming Centre shortly after 9 p.m. Taija McLuckie, a peer advisor and local advocate for the unhoused, was visibly distraught as she spoke with friends, trying to keep herself warm.
B次元官网网址淲e heard that someone was overdosing, so we ran over with naloxoneB次元官网网址� to see if we could assist. When we arrived, he was dead, with no pulse, totally blue, and not breathing,B次元官网网址� said McLuckie. B次元官网网址淭he (EMTs) ended up giving him four shots of Narcan. It took about five minutes to get some gurgling from him. We walked him back (to the Connect Centre) and asked him to stay. We gave him some water and within 20 minutes he was gone.B次元官网网址�
Unaware of the young manB次元官网网址檚 whereabouts, McLuckie dreaded the worst.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know if heB次元官网网址檒l make it through the night. If heB次元官网网址檚 alone and if he has the same batch (of dirty) dope with him and heB次元官网网址檚 alone, he wonB次元官网网址檛 live. ItB次元官网网址檚 f**king sh***y because he is a nice kid. HeB次元官网网址檚 in his mid-20s, maybe early 30s, but I know heB次元官网网址檚 pretty young.B次元官网网址�
9:03 p.m. - Inside the Connect Warming Centre
Entering the Connect Centre, one is welcomed by a humid haze dominated by a mixed scent: urine, grime and unwashed clothes.
Teeming with life, the place was overcrowded. Sitting in a small lounge chair, a tenant explained that the facility, typically accommodating just over 30 people, was now stretched to double its capacity due to the extreme weather.
Despite these conditions, most tenants simply considered themselves fortunate to be indoors.
In this organized chaos, the overall morale remained high. Some were eating plates full of rice and veggies, while others sought warmth by clasping disposable cups filled with steaming hot coffee.
Through all this, staff and volunteering tenants managed to clean the floors and bring out mattresses, transforming the place into a dormitory.
As others readied themselves for bedtime, Jack lingered in the Connect Centre, absorbing every bit of warmth before venturing out into the night.
B次元官网网址淭here are only so many rooms in here so thereB次元官网网址檚 gonna be a lot of people out there. (ItB次元官网网址檚 so cold that even) the blankets are freezing,B次元官网网址� he said.
According to the man, this sheltering crisis could be easily remediated.
B次元官网网址淭here are solutions to these problems and easy ones. The bylaw officers come in and (we need to tear down our camp) at 8 a.m.,B次元官网网址� Jack added. B次元官网网址淓very week, there have been meetings at the library for over a year. ItB次元官网网址檚 all talk, talk, talk but thereB次元官网网址檚 no solution. IB次元官网网址檝e talked to cops, IB次元官网网址檝e talked to bylaw officers, IB次元官网网址檝e talked to a priest, IB次元官网网址檝e talked to nurses, IB次元官网网址檝e talked to doctors, and nobody is hearing. No one is actually (willing to) hear and see whatB次元官网网址檚 going on. ItB次元官网网址檚 a form of abuse.
B次元官网网址�(Those in power) are putting more problems on top of problems rather than solving them. PeopleB次元官网网址檚 lives are being jeopardized.B次元官网网址�
As Jack left the room, a large beige dog entered, sniffing everything in its path with a cautious curiosity.
B次元官网网址淗er name is Harley,B次元官网网址� said Joanne, as she knelt behind the dog. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 own a dog myself, but I take care of (my friendB次元官网网址檚) dog. ItB次元官网网址檚 too cold for them to be out. There are some other dogs out there living in these conditions, and itB次元官网网址檚 tough to watch.B次元官网网址�
Despite the harsh reality, Joanne expressed gratitude for the Connect Centre providing shelter for her and Harley.
After spending the past year in the street, the woman explained her journey has been marked by challenges. Despite successfully overcoming her heroin addiction six years ago, the ongoing battle with substance use lingers on.
B次元官网网址淏efore I had a house and I had everything really. There are many reasons why IB次元官网网址檓 here right now. One of them is relapsing and I was also in denial for a while, blaming everybody for what happened. I lost my kid two years ago and things went downhill from there, but s**t happens. I need to take responsibility for that, pick myself up, and start again.B次元官网网址�
Standing beside her, Jessica also expressed gratitude for the chance to spend the night indoors with her partner Bob.
B次元官网网址淢y experience at (Connect) is that the staff here is good. Like tonight, theyB次元官网网址檒l let so many people come in because they actually care so much to help us. This isnB次元官网网址檛 just a job for them. I feel like they want to be here and help us.B次元官网网址�
Yet, Jessica couldnB次元官网网址檛 shake the looming concern for those enduring a night like this outside. According to her, this lack of sheltering options, causing many to stay outdoors, is a B次元官网网址渄eath sentence.B次元官网网址� The issue is all too real for her, having lost two close friends to the cold in recent years.
10:21 p.m. - Heading out
As Jody and Sheldon are heading out to the emergency warming centre located at CourtenayB次元官网网址檚 Native Sons Hall, they bring along with them garbage bags filled with blankets for those spending the night outside.
On their way, the couple weaved through the alleys of CourtenayB次元官网网址檚 downtown area, to ensure that those who remained out there could make it through the night.
As they slowly walk with the bag of blankets slung over their shoulders, the two share thoughts about the current situation.
B次元官网网址淎 couple of weeks ago, it was pissing rain (and a couple of us) were trying to stay warm and dry. We had propane and (tarps set up) for everybody coming by because if you canB次元官网网址檛 make it (inside Connect), there is nowhere to go,B次元官网网址� said Sheldon.
B次元官网网址淭he next morning, the bylaw came by (and threw) all our stuff away, which I didnB次元官网网址檛 get because (Connect) provides us with tents and then all of a sudden theyB次元官网网址檙e (thrown) in the landfill and then weB次元官网网址檙e being given more tents. ItB次元官网网址檚 just a stupid cycle.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址�(The bylaw officers) just threw everything out. We had our clothes in there and everything. They just donB次元官网网址檛 give a ***k,B次元官网网址� added Jody.
Sheldon criticized this logic adopted by local authorities, to justify such enforcement.
B次元官网网址淒o these guys really think that we want to be addicted to these substances? I donB次元官网网址檛 want to be an alcoholic. One bylaw officer told me to get a job, but you canB次元官网网址檛 get a job without a place and you canB次元官网网址檛 get a place without having a job. WeB次元官网网址檙e just treading water.B次元官网网址�
A little before 11 p.m., the duo made their way to the warming centre and delivered their much-awaited goods.
Welcomed by outreach workers, the two sat down at a table and enjoyed a cup of coffee, a hot dog and sweets, offered by the house. Staff at the warming centre refused to let Black Press Media document the situation inside the facility.
3:32 a.m. - JohnB次元官网网址檚 singing
Transformed from a bustling hub several hours ago, the downtown area now seems devoid of signs of life.
Yet, through the howling wind, one could hear a faint humming sound, reminiscent of an old Western movie.
At the intersection of 4th Street and Cliffe Avenue, a man wrapped in two blankets was leaning over a garbage bin. Standing alone, with a curbed metal cane resting on his crossed arms, John was singing his favourite Boz Scaggs song: What Can I Say.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 just a regular guy with a sports coat and he was really good-looking. He had the world by the tail and he sang about life and love. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what I like about him,B次元官网网址� said John when asked about his choice of song.
At 72 years old, John, who has had three open-heart surgeries, crowned himself the oldest unhoused man in the Valley. An entertainer by trade, showcasing unwavering optimism, he explained that life in the streets is not a piece of cake.
B次元官网网址淏ecause of my heart condition and my health, I canB次元官网网址檛 walk properly. IB次元官网网址檓 also on heavy-duty meds which are hard to manage. I need to keep the water off my heart because so I have to go to the washroom every 10 minutes,B次元官网网址� said John. B次元官网网址淚 slept out in the cold the night before and it was terrible. We are getting moved everywhere and thereB次元官网网址檚 no place to go. You canB次元官网网址檛 even settle in a tent or a sleeping bag, so I just put on layers and layers.B次元官网网址�
Despite that, John has a nuanced understanding of the ongoing homeless crisis and recognizes that local law enforcement officers are dealing with a thorny situation.
B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 know what to do. They really donB次元官网网址檛. No oneB次元官网网址檚 moving above them. I am not a genius but I think that to soothe the public, (the authorities) just want to bring the homeless almost to the edge but not go through with it,B次元官网网址� said John. B次元官网网址淏ut weB次元官网网址檙e in desperate need to stop people from dying. IB次元官网网址檝e seen so many people die right in front of me.B次元官网网址�
3:43 a.m. - MikeB次元官网网址檚 story
Mike was riding his bicycle down Cliffe Avenue street when he met with Black Press Media. Following a short conversation, the man invited the reporter to the place where he nearly died on Dec. 29, 2020.
Located on the bicycle path behind Courtenay City Hall, Mike stood where things could have ended.
B次元官网网址淚t snowed all day and we had a fire going to keep us warm. I was dope sick and it was weird because I remember looking at my hand change from white to purple. I got my friend to help me down the stairs because I wanted to go pee,B次元官网网址� said Mike. B次元官网网址淚 fell on my back in the snow. I was so cold that I went in and out of consciousness. I was ready to let go. I felt really good. I was ready to die.
B次元官网网址淭he last memory I have is someone jumping over me with a knife, cutting off my clothes, and wrapping me up. The next thing I can remember is waking up at the hospital, naked, and covered in a warming blanket. When I looked at my hands, they were all messed up. I started bawling. To this day, I still donB次元官网网址檛 know who saved me.B次元官网网址�
Struggling with bipolar disorder and battling with persistent substance use issues, the emaciated man said that these factors significantly complicate the transition from the streets to a more conventional life.
B次元官网网址淚f I had a room and a locked door so I could sleep in peace, my life would be much better. I donB次元官网网址檛 even need a bed, just a place to stay. IB次元官网网址檓 on disability and I would literally give a half of my check away to rent a room.B次元官网网址�
A few minutes after sharing his story, Mike headed back to the Tim HortonB次元官网网址檚 on Cliffe. He wanted to help his friend move his belongings back to the city centre, allowing them both to enjoy a bit of warmth before the warming centre closed its doors at 7 a.m.
6:26 a.m. - MarkB次元官网网址檚 night out
Nestled beside a garbage bin behind the Tim HortonB次元官网网址檚, Mark was breaking down his camp. Among what many would consider a mess were all of his lifeB次元官网网址檚 possessions: a guitar, a cheap tent, a propane tank, a burner, a cart filled with stuff, a seatless bicycle to drag everything.
Burdened by all his gear, Mark spent the night outside because he couldnB次元官网网址檛 make it to the Connect Centre in time. Fearing leaving his belongings at the mercy of thieves and vandals, he couldnB次元官网网址檛 bring himself to abandon everything.
B次元官网网址淢y night was long and chilly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was a little bit stressful too because I donB次元官网网址檛 know where is my girlfriend now. Maybe sheB次元官网网址檚 at the shelter or maybe she stayed outside. The last time I saw her we were by the 7-Eleven.B次元官网网址�
Warming up inside the Tim HortonB次元官网网址檚, with a coffee in hand offered by a bystander, Mark described the many challenges he faces on the street daily. From quarreling with bylaw officers to constantly moving around, the man shared the same sentiment as many others.
B次元官网网址淗ousing is the big thing. I canB次元官网网址檛 establish anything. IB次元官网网址檝e been wearing the same clothes now for over a week and everything is wet from the weather. All my stuff started to mould. IB次元官网网址檓 losing my clothes all the time,B次元官网网址� said Mark. B次元官网网址淚 have nothing else than what I have. Being kicked out by bylaws does not give you time for your clothes to dry. I donB次元官网网址檛 follow politics, but if they can make a difference, IB次元官网网址檇 say we need more low-income housing.B次元官网网址�
7:06 - Closure of the warming centre
Overnight, the warming centre consistently hosted anywhere from 15 to 30 people. By 7 a.m., all tenants were locked out of the facility, facing the coldest temperature of the night to date.
Among the few sticking around is Alan, a tall man in flannel joggers, wrapped in a large blanket.
B次元官网网址淚 managed to get a few hours of sleep. The place was safe, comfortable, and welcoming. We had food and pyjama bottoms.B次元官网网址�
Forced out in the street again, describing the situation as B次元官网网址渃ruel,B次元官网网址� Alan gathered his thoughts as he prepared for the day.
B次元官网网址淣ow my plan is to get my stuff off the property so we can come here again tonight.B次元官网网址�
