City of Powell River’s committee of the whole is recommending that city council renew the temporary use permit for the emergency shelter on Joyce Avenue.
At the October 22 committee meeting, director of planning services Jason Gow said he was presenting a report related to the existing shelter at 4746 Joyce Avenue. Council had previously approved a three-year temporary use permit for the operation of the shelter. The permit is expiring in mid-December.
“The purpose of the report is to consider a renewal application for temporary use permit 005, which permits non-commercial, short-term overnight accommodation at 4746 Joyce Avenue for the purpose of an emergency shelter for the 2024/2025 winter season,” said Gow.
“Council considered and granted temporary use permit 005 that permitted Lift Community Services to operate a 20-bed emergency shelter at that location in December 2021, for a three-year term that expires December 14 of this year. What is proposed today is that council consider a three-and-a-half-month renewal for the emergency shelter.”
Gow said he wanted to highlight that the ownership of 4746 Joyce Avenue has changed, and the new owner has informed Lift that they will not renew the lease for the emergency shelter when it expires on March 31, 2025. Gow said, as a result, Lift has made application to the city to renew the temporary use permit for the remaining duration of the lease.
“Three-and-a-half-months will allow the shelter to remain open to the end of this winter season,” said Gow.
Gow said that any communication and engagement, under section 494 of the Local Government Act, does require public notice at the time of issuance, however, there is no legislated notice requirement for renewal. He said there was an option for council to consider that, and if staff received direction, they would issue notice immediately, with the idea that it would be coming back for council’s consideration on November 7.
“There is some urgency to that particular date, as Lift, at some point, will need to engage staff if there is not support for this application,” said Gow. “They would need to let their staff know there would no longer be a shelter during this winter season.”
Gow said there was a recommendation before the committee that it recommend that council renew temporary use permit 005 to allow non-commercial short-term overnight accommodation at 4846 Joyce Avenue, commencing December 15, 2024, and ending March 31, 2025.
The committee carried the recommendation to recommend to council that the temporary use permit be renewed from December 15, 2024, to March 31, 2025. The matter will be considered at the November 7 city council meeting.
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