Extreme Winter Weather Shelter
We appreciate your participation in this survey aimed at gaining understanding of the communities thoughts on an Extreme Winter Weather Shelter. Your input will help guide planning and policy decisions regarding cold response in our community.
Why we have a plan
There is a known population of unhoused individuals in Creston that may be negatively impacted by lower temperatures as they do not have sufficient protection from the cold.
At present, Creston does not have a temporary or permanent shelter for unhoused individuals.
The Emergency & Disaster Management Act [SBC 2023] determines that municipalities have a responsibility to:
- Identify hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities;
- Make plans to prepare, prevent, and respond to hazards and risks;
- Inform and educate the public about hazards;
- Implement the procedures identified in the plans;
- Review outcomes from implementation.
The extreme cold that winter can bring is a hazard, and unhoused individuals are at risk when exposed to the cold. To mitigate the risk of cold exposure of unhoused individuals, the Town of Creston has developed an Extreme Cold Response Plan for our community.
Proposed Cold Response Activities
The Extreme Cold Response Plan says that when the temperature falls to -10ᵒC or below or there are large amounts of rain, snow, or wind, an Extreme Winter Weather Shelter will be opened.
The Extreme Winter Weather Shelter will be a safe place for unhoused individuals to sleep at night during extreme cold temperatures. It will be a substance-free shelter that provides basic services such as laundry and meals and will only be open when the Extreme Cold Response Plan is activated.
The Extreme Winter Weather Shelter will not be a year-round facility or have additional services such as recreation, support, medical, or mental health services. 
Please note: This survey will close on November 15th, 2024.